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Application was made to the Local Government Board (12th April, 1906) for sanction to the
borrowing of about £l,350, the estimated cost of the four cottages—plans of which were forwarded
for approval. On 4th July, an inquiry was held in regard to this, as part of a larger, application, by
one of the Board's medical inspectors. On October 13th the Board signified their objection to the
plans, on the grounds that the bedrooms were too large, and the cost excessive, although the scheme
was designed to be self-supporting. The Board's letter came before the Public Health Committee
at the first meeting after the triennial election of the Council, in November, when it was resolved,
without discussion, that-
"In view of the objection taken by the Local Government Board to the plans and estimates submitted
to them, the further consideration of the question of erecting the proposed cottages be deferred
for six months. . . . ."
The report of the Committee was adopted by the Council, without debate, and the matter
stands adjourned to 28th May, 1907.
Infected, Clothing and Laundries.—A communication was received early in the year from the
County Council, upon a suggestion made by the Islington Borough Council, that the County
Council should promote legislation to secure that the sending of infected clothing to laundries shall
be a punishable offence. I reported to the Public Health Committee on the subject as follows:—
"I am of opinion that the sending of infected clothing to laundries is a punishable offence under
Section 68 of the Public Health (London) Act 1891, which reads as follows: —
(1) If any person—
. . . . (c) Gives, lends, sells, transmits, romoves, or exposes, without previous disinfection, any
bedding, clothing, or articles which have been exposed to infection from any such disease (i.e. "dangerous
infectious disease "),
he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Five pounds.
But as laundries are not specifically mentioned, and as there are other dangerous infectious diseases
than those named in the Act (Section 55, (8),) I think the suggestion made by the Islington Borough
Council is a good one; I therefore beg to advise that the Council be recommended to inform the County
Council, in reply to their request for the Council's observations on the subject, that they concur with
the views set out in the Islington communication, "which arose out of a report by the Medical Officer of
Health for that Borough, expressing the view that the County Council should promote legislation in order
to provide that the sending of infected clothing to laundries shall be a punishable offence."
The Council, upon the recommendation of the Committee, informed the County Council
that they concurred with the suggestion of the Islington Borough Council.
TEMPORARY SHELTER OR HOUSE ACCOMMODATION.
The Public Health (London) Act, 1891, section 60, sub-section (4), requires the sanitary
authority to make provision for housing persons during the time necessary for the disinfection of
their rooms after infectious disease. The need for this provision is shown by the fact that last year
117 cases of infectious disease occurred in families in occupation of three rooms; 148 cases in
families occupying two rooms, and 68 cases in families herded in single rooms. Of the sufferers in
families occupying single rooms, 51 had scarlet fever, 14 had diphtheria, and 3 had enteric fever.
In the report for 1904, a statement, prepared for the information of the Public Health Committee,
exhibited the number of cases of infectious disease which had occurred in tenements of less
than four rooms in the eleven years 1894-1904, and the diseases from which the persons suffered
who had resided in single room tenements. The figures indicated an improved state of affairs in
recent years.
Now that formalin is so much used for disinfecting, the need of a shelter is less felt than
formerly; it is the fact, moreover, that people generally prefer to make their own arrangements,
rarely making use of the shelter where provided. Should the Council decide to fit up a station for
cleansing of persons, it would be an economical arrangement to combine with it a shelter.