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22
SECTION "B" —GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
Disinfection and personal cleansing
The disinfecting station and the cleansing station are situated at
Wearside Road Depot. An extension to the main building provides
accommodation for the superintendent and a messroom for the staff.
A washing machine with a capacity of 11 cubic feet is installed in the
part of the disinfecting station where bedding and clothing are received
for disinfection and there is a calender in the ironing room.
There has been a tendency in the past for people to indicate some
doubt as to the desirability of disinfection of clothing and bedding
after cases of infectious disease because they have been afraid that the
articles would not be returned in a good condition. With this plant it
is possible to return articles in a condition approaching that in which
they would be returned if sent to a laundry.
It is also possible for the department to assist certain elderly people
who are incontinent and who are incapable of dealing with their own
washing, by collecting articles from their homes, and returning the
articles after they have been washed and ironed. This service, which
is only applicable to those cases coming under s. 122 of the Public
Health (London) Act, has been particularly useful where hospitalisation
is not available or where there is likely to be some delay before admission
can be arranged, and it has also helped to ease the burden of life for
chronic cases after discharge from hospital. It has been highly
appreciated.