London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
St Pancras 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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76
DISINFECTING AND CLEANSING STATION.
These buildings are situated in Camley Street, at the rear of St. Pancras Gardens.
Disinfection.
In connection with cases of infectious disease, bedding, clothing, etc., are disinfected
by steam under pressure at the Council's Disinfecting Station, Camley Street. No charge
is made.
Library books and articles which would be injured by steam are disinfected by formaldehyde
generated in a small chamber.
Separate motor vans are used for the collection of infected and delivery of disinfected
articles.
The work done during the year by the disinfecting staff is shown in the following table:—
| Disease. | No. of cases. | No. of houses. | No. of rooniB contents disinfected or destroyed. | No. of rooms sprayed and fumigated. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallpox* | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Scarlet Fever | 306 | 285 | 297 | 263 |
| Diphtheria | 857 | 358 | 848 | 352 |
| Enteric Fever | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 |
| Puerperal Fever | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| „ Pyrexia | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Erysipelas | 75 | 75 | 75 | 6 |
| Cerebro-spinal Meningitis | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Measles | 45 | 45 | 36 | 32 |
| Pneumonia | 1 | 1 | 1 | _ |
| Dysentery | 80 | 29 | 29 | 2 |
| Scabies | 301 | 261 | 265 | _ |
| Tuberculosis | 129 | 129 | 33 | 142 |
| Vermin | 364 | 362 | 212 | 295 |
| Polio myelitis | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Encephalitis lethargica | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Other Diseases (not noti | ||||
| fiable) | 487 | 487 | 482 | 36 |
| Totals | 2124 | 2057 | 1807 | 1144 |
* This was a suspected case of Small pox subsequently diagnosed as Erythema Multiformi.