View report page

25
the steam pressure, temperature, and relays of steam used in each
process. The instrument is under the control of the chief disinfector.
The charts are brought daily to the Board's offices, and are, together
with the book kept by the boiler-man for recording the premises from
which articles are brought and the time of going out and the return
of the vans, a great help to accurate supervision over the disinfecting
work.
The Committee have still under their consideration the fixing of
an arrangement to the steam apparatus in order to make it impossible
for both doors to be open at the same time, so that there can be no
possible communication between the infected and disinfected compartments
of the disinfecting house. There is also under consideration
the fitting of some sort of vacuum apparatus for sweeping away the
steam out of mattresses and bedding, so as to hasten the drying process
and prevent the moisture which is sometimes of an unpleasant nature
escaping into the house where the men are working.
During the year the disinfecting vans were repainted of different
colours in order to distinguish the van collecting infected articles
from the one delivering disinfected clothing, &c.
The Medical Officer of the London County Council wrote asking
if the Poplar District Board would give opportunity to common
lodging-house keepers in the district to free the bedding of their
houses from vermin by passing it through the disinfecting oven of
the Board. The Committee directed that the request be complied
with, provided that such disinfection should not at any time interfere
with the regular work of the department.
A great step in the advance of sanitation was taken by the Board
in agreeing to the recommendation of the Committee to build a bathroom
in connection with the disinfecting house, so that the men
engaged in the disinfecting work can undress and wash and have a
place to remain in whilst their clothes are being disinfected or freed
from vermin, which they sometimes get upon their clothing whilst
removing articles from dirty houses.