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preferential recommendation of Messrs.—over any other person or
persons who may possess the means and conveniences for safely disinfecting
infected articles ; or to be in any way responsible for Messrs.
—charges, which must be a matter for arrangement between them
and their employers."
"Some 'masters' of houses prefer to employ a professional
disinfector. As a general rule, however, even when the firm referred
to are privately employed for the disinfection of bedding, clothing,
etc., removed from the premises for the purpose, the disinfection
of the house is entrusted to your Vestry's officers.
"It should be explained that it is not customary to serve on the
master or owner of the house, the 'notice ' referred to in section 60 (1).
The practice is to visit the infected house on the day the notification
of illness is received, should it arrive before 10 a m. ; or on
the next day, should the notification arrive after the disinfecting staff
have left the office to commence their day's work. The majority of
the sick among the poorer classes, who live in lodgings—often a family
in a room—are removed to hospital within a few hours of receipt of
the notification certificates : often, indeed, the patients have already
been removed to hospital, by the doctors, before the notifications are
received by me. In such cases it is obvious that disinfection should
not be delayed. Nor is it, for, as a general rule, it is done the same
day. Whatever the rank of the sufferer, should it be found, on visiting
the house, that the patient has been removed to hospital, the
disinfection is done forthwith, if desired, so as to avoid the delay of
some days which might ensue, were the Sanitary Inspector to apply
to me for, and serve on the following day, the ' notice' referred to in
section 60 (1). In some—but a diminishing number of—cases,
where the sick have been treated at home, the disinfection is arranged
for by the medical attendant without reference to me ; but in all
such cases application is made to the medical attendant, at about the
probable date of recovery, with a view of ascertaining whether the
house, or part, and the articles therein, as well as the bedding,
clothing, etc., have been disinfected to his satisfaction, as the Act
requires."
The expenditure on disinfection, including cleansing, of
clothing, bedding, &c., will necessarily vary from year to year,
in proportion to the relative prevalence of infectious disease;
but under existing arrangements it will increase in proportion
as the public become acquainted with the provisions of the
Act.
I append a statement of the monthly cost of this work
for the official year ended 25th March, 1894, amounting to
some £1,160.