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politan Asylums Board, and, therefore, their new proposal (men-
tioned above) was approved by the Lambeth Council as satis-
factory and necessary, more especially as the Local Government
Board naturally and rightly objects to any important extension of
the present temporary observation Shelters, either at Rotherhithe
or elsewhere near London.
3. Disinfection.
As soon as a case of Smallpox had been removed, the next im-
portant preventive measure was to get rid of every trace of infec-
tion by efficiently and at once disinfecting the room or rooms in
which the patient had lived prior to removal, and, indeed, the
rest of the house, together with all clothes, bedding, etc., that
had become directly, or indirectly, infected. Upon the effi-
ciency of such disinfection depends the success (in part) of the
action taken in dealing with Smallpox outbreaks. To ensure the
disinfection being as efficient as possible, the Medical Offi-
cer of Health arranged for the use of formalin, or per-
choloride of mercury, spray, the stripping off of all papers
from infected rooms, washing of ceilings, walls, floors,
etc., in addition to the routine sulphur fumigation, which is found
so useful as a means to ensure the occupiers using plenty of soap
and water, and fresh air (by open windows and doors), to get rid
of the smell of the sulphur fumes which are very penetrating and
lasting. All articles of clothing, carpets, curtains, bedding, etc.,
were disinfected with saturated steam in the Equifex Disinfecting
Machine, Wanless Road. The means adopted proved efficient,
as no single secondary or return case of Smallpox arose in connection
with inefficient disinfection of any of the infected houses or
clothing and bedding—a most satisfactory statement to be able to
make.
The rooms from which the Smallpox patients were removed
have all been fumigated with sulphur, and sprayed with formalin
or per-chloride of mercury solutions, and the other rooms, passages,
etc., in connection with infected houses have also been
sprayed with formalin. During the epidemic, 514 infected rooms,
and 2217 other rooms, have been in this way dealt with (not to
mention passages and staircases), and the amount of bedding,
clothing, etc., removed and disinfected with steam at Wanless
Road will be appreciated from the subjoined statement:-