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DISINFECTION.
The Finsbury Disinfecting Station is at 49, Northampton
Road, Clerkenwell. Here provision is made for the housing and
accommodation of families during the disinfection of their premises
after infectious disease, and for the reception of small pox contacts,
and of suspected cases of small pox during the incubation period.
The " shelter " was used on two occasions only in 1927, by one
family from Holborn, and by one Finsbury family. The Holborn
Metropolitan Borough is allowed to use this shelter by an agreement
made between the two Boroughs, dated 4th October, 1911, and
terminable at the pleasure of either Council. The Holborn Borough
Council pays £37 10s. per annum for this accommodation. The
disinfector is a Washington-Lyons high-pressure steam apparatus.
In 1927, 916 premises, comprising 1,283 separate rooms were
disinfected, of which 176 were for measles, 63 after notification of
phthisis, 11 after deaths from phthisis, 234 after scarlet fever, 193
after diphtheria, 55 on account of vermin, and 184 premises were
disinfected for miscellaneous reasons. In addition, bedding and
mattresses were steam disinfected for the following institutions:
Claremont Hall Creche, St. Barnabas' Home, St. Mark's Hospital
Women's League of Service.
Altogether, 9,986 articles were disinfected in connection
with cases of infectious disease and phthisis. These were chiefly
mattresses, pillows, bolsters, sheets, blankets, quilts and wearing
apparel. Besides these, 151,044 articles of partly worn wearing
apparel and 1 ton of horsehair (265 separate charges of the disinfecting
apparatus) were disinfected for exporting firms at the price
agreed upon, prior to exportation to South Africa and other foreign
parts.
Cleansing of Persons. —In 1927, 19 adults and 5 children were
cleansed at the St. Pancras Cleansing Station by arrangement with
that Borough. The cleansing in every case was for body vermin.