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71
There has been during the year a total of 24 "burnings," that
is complete destruction of infected bedding, mattresses, wearing
apparel, etc. The total number of rooms disinfected with sulphur
was 1309, 1150 of these were for infectious diseases, 109 for
Phthisis, and 50 for vermin, &c.
I understand that Dr. Klein of St. Bartholomew's Hospital is
now engaged in a thorough investigation into the efficacy of different
modes of disinfection at the instigation of the London County
Council. His report will probably be issued at an early date, and
Metropolitan Sanitary Authorities will then perhaps be able to
adopt some more uniform method of room disinfection than
obtains at the present time.
My own conviction is that the methods of room disinfection
generally adopted are essentially unsatisfactory. In the first place,
many so-called "disinfectants" are not germicides, but merely
deodorants, or perhaps feebly antiseptic. But a disinfectant in the
strict sense of the term must be a germicide, that is, it must be of
sufficient strength to kill the disease-producing organism. In the
second place, it is not gaseous or aerial disinfection that is required,
but thorough disinfection of the surfaces of the room. Bacteria do
not as a rule live in the air. They occur in the air only in being
carried by currents of air from one surface to another. It is on the
floors, walls, ledges, and ceilings of a room that germs are really
present in largest number. It is these parts of the room, and the
visible or invisible dust upon them, that requires disinfection.
Hence, I am at the present time using wet disinfection and cleansing of
surfaces as much as possible and hope before long to adopt some
method of really adequate and efficient disinfection of rooms.
UNSOUND FOOD.
During the year considerable effort has been made to secure
and maintain a high standard of purity in Food. In a
district like Clerkenwell this matter is of particular importance
and at the same time is surrounded by considerable difficulty.
Street stalls and ice cream manufacture are two of the peculiar
features of the parish which have to be added to the ordinary
difficulties of the food problem in an industrial community. The
street markets have been inspected daily (including Sundays).