London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Islington 1919

Sixty-fourth annual report on the health and sanitary condition of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington

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1919]
52
DISINFECTION.
Disinfection of Rooms. —1,780 rooms were disinfected, as contrasted
with 1,037 in 1918. For this purpose formaldehyde, either in a gaseous form
or in solution, was employed, although it was sometimes augmented by
sulphur dioxide, when it was necessary to kill vermin, for which purpose it has
been found most effective. For the extermination of bugs, however, all
the architrave mouldings and skirting boards behind which they breed are
renoved, and the walls washed with hot lime.
The above figures also include the disinfection of houses and rooms
after Phthisis, vide p. 43.

Table: The Cleansing and Spraying of Rooms—1,650 rooms, as contrasted with 1,802 in 1918, were cleansed and sprayed.

The Cleansing and Spraying of Rooms—1,650 rooms, as contrasted with 1,802 in 1918, were cleansed and sprayed.

Rooms disinfected.Rooms sprayed.
1919.1918.1919.1918.
1st Quarter220311452404
2nd „293263447403
3rd „412215333387
4th „855248418608
The Year 1,7801,0371,6501,802

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The following class-rooms, etc., were disinfected after the occurrence in
them of cases of the diseases mentioned:—
1st Quarter. Nil.
2nd Quarter. Canonbury Road L.C.C. Schools (Scarlet Fever).
Newington Green L.C.C. Schools (Diphtheria).
3rd Quarter. Buckingham Street L.C.C. Schools (Scarlet Fever)
4th Quarter. Gifford Street L.C.C. Schools (Scarlet Fever).
Work at the Disinfecting Station.—41,336 large articles of bedding,
etc., as detailed below, were disinfected by the steam disinfectors, at the
Council's Disinfecting Station, compared with 38,659 similar articles disinfected
during the previous year.
In addition to the above articles 19,777 old or second-hand garments,
mostly soldiers' overcoats, jackets, tunics and trousers were disinfected for
clothing contractors trading in the borough, who paid the Council for the work,
amounting to the sum of £32 16s. 8d.
Altogether 61,113 articles described in the two paragraphs preceding
were disinfected, which bring the number of large articles disinfected since
the disinfecting station was established to 1,497,675.