View report page

7
How Scarlet Fever is propagated.
Family washing is often sent to poor women whose circumstances
are not such as to enable them to do it with safety.
Some of the members of a family of this description are "down
with the fever the infection is by this means introduced into
a healthy household with the clean linen. It should always be
ascertained what conveniences exist for washing and drying. If
the family linen has to be washed, dried and ironed, as it
frequently must be, in the close atmosphere of a room, in a
crowded dwelling, it may catch and retain the organic particles
which are capable of carrying disease into the mansions of the
rich. Tailor's work is often done at home when scarlet fever and
measles are present, and nothing more readily absorbs and carries
the contagious matter than woollen articles. Another example
recently came under my notice. A lad went out on trial as an
apprentice, and was put into the same bed, which had latterly
been slept in by another lad who had just gone away with scarlet
fever. He caught the disease, and was sent home to his friends.
These and other unsuspected ways in which infectious diseases
are conveyed, are cogent arguments of themselves, to show
the necessity of an establishment where personal ablution,
washing and cleansing of linen, and the disinfecting operations
can be safely and efficiently carried on. My recommendation
is that Public Baths and a Laundry will in every way meet
the public requirements. Such an establishment has long been
wanting in this Parish. See further remarks in my Annual
Report for 1869-70.
A Public Disinfecting Establishment..
The want of a proper place, where infected clothes, bedding,
linen and woollen things could be removed to be purified and
disinfected, has been very seriously felt, and expressions of
surprise are not unfrequently made to me that no provision has
yet been made to meet this want.
On the 20th of January, the Committee, to whom the question
of providing a Disinfecting Establishment was referred, reported
to the Vestry that the most fit and proper place for such an
establishment was the North End of the Burial Ground contiguous
to Manor Place. As a Public Mortuary and Deadhouse had been
previously recommended, and the closed Burying Ground was to
be improved and opened, it was suggested that all objects might
be combined at an additional expense of about £300 for fittings
and appliances. This recommendation has not meet with an
approval by the Vestry, therefore the matter stands over for future
consideration, both with respect to the Public Mortuary and a
Public Disinfecting Establishment. The improvements of the
old closed Burying Ground are now nearly completed and it is
ready for opening to the Public.