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 Martin-in-the-Fields 1876
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Martin-in-the-Fields]
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18
I have seen that the room wherein the patient was
during the illness was thoroughly and efficiently disinfected,
together with the clothing and all dirty linen.
All pauper cases of this disease should undoubtedly
be at once removed to the public Smallpox Hospital;
the houses of the poor are so miserable and in most
cases so many living in one room, that allowing a case
to remain is sure to spread the disease through the
whole family, the other inmates of the house, and the
surrounding neighbourhood. Isolation is the only sure
method of stamping out the disease.
The question has been mooted lately as to the
advisability of providing hospital accommodation for
the treatment of epidemic infectious disease for the
non-pauper class.
The question then arises as to the constitution, the
authority, and the administration of these hospitals.
The Society of Medical Officers of Health passed the
following resolution at one of their meetings. "That
adequate provision for the isolation and treatment of
epidemic infectious disease in the Metropolis does not
exist; that such provision could be best made in a
comprehensive and systematic manner by one central
authority acting for the whole Metropolis" To this
suggestion I entirely agree, it would be a far better
method than each parish of the Metropolis providing
a hospital of its own; it would be more economical,
and would, I am sure, work well.
| £ | s | d | £ | s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-third cost of now 3' 0" x 2' 0" Sewer in Exeter Street, between Burleigh Street and west end, in conjunction with "Strand District Board of Works " | ||||||
| Sundry repoirs to and cleansing small sewers and pipes | ||||||
| Labour and water for flushing pipe sowers, and repairs to flushing hose.. | ||||||
| Sundry repairs to and cleansing large sewers | ||||||
| Repairs to and cleansing gullies | ||||||
| 1 lushing gullies with disinfectants | ||||||
| Examining and connecting drains to sewers | ||||||
| Fitting up a Macfarlane's 6-stall iron urinal in St. Murtin's Place, next National Gallery, including brick enclosing wall, laying on water and gas, 4c | 3 | |||||
| An iron 3-stall urinal in Taylor's Buildings, with cistern and service | 6 | |||||
| Taking down same, and erecting a 3-stall stone one, with screen, &c | ||||||
| Curried forward | £110 | 9 | 9 | 747 | 12 | 3 |