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69
to another, and presumably infecting them all. There is no
power to enforce systematic disinfection, and in practice it would
be found difficult to perform it owing to the demand for
tenements, the short times the rooms are empty, and the large
number of removals which are unknown to the public health
department.
I'urther, it appears that 17 per cent, of the cases went to live
in houses already infected with the tuberculous taint before their
arrival. It is quite possible that these latter patients may have
been infected with the disease from their surroundings. The
practical outcome of this is that it is very desirable that when
a death from phthisis occurs in a tenement, or when a tuberculous
family removes, means should be taken to disinfect the premises
and to give the rooms a good scouring and scrubbing out.
In order the better to achieve this, many public health
departments supply a disinfectant soap gratis to the inhabitants.
There is no special virtue in a disinfectant soap—many, probably
most of them, do not disinfect in actual practice.
The poor, however, will not scrub out their rooms with
ordinary white soap. But if a nauseous, evil-smelling soap
stamped with a coined word and labelled "disinfectant" is
supplied, they scrub with the zeal, the earnestness and alacrity
born of wholesome faith and a good cause.
Residence in other boroughs.—During their illnesses and
before they were notified, 40 patients had lived in one other
London Borough, 9 in two other metropolitan boroughs, and one
in 3 other London boroughs.
These patients may have infected not only houses in Finsbury
but also in other metropolitan districts.
Reasons for Finsbury.—The patients were asked why they
had chosen to live in Finsbury. The answers are summarised
below :—