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This table does not include the work carried out at Wood Lane on behalf of the
Paddington borough council.
The total weight of the bedding, clothing, etc., of Kensington residents disinfected was 40 tons
18 cwt. 0 qr. 15 lb. The number of articles disinfected only was 15,388 and the number disinfected
and washed, 1,043.
The laundry work for the medicinal baths is performed at the disinfecting station and this
work involved the washing of 10,048 towels, 369 sheets and 190 other articles.
The Paddington authority have entered into an agreement with the council for the disinfection
of all articles removed from Paddington homes to be performed at the Kensington disinfecting
station. As the Paddington council require certain of the articles to be washed after disinfection
the charge was fixed at 20s. per cwt. of articles dealt with, but there is a proviso in the agreement
that the minimum payment per annum is to be £600.
The weight of Paddington articles disinfected was 19 tons 4 cwt. 0 qrs. 4 lb. The number of
articles disinfected only was 6,148 and the number disinfected and washed was 1,748.
Disinfection of Library Books.
In view of the difficulty of securing efficient disinfection of books, the libraries committee
authorise the medical officer of health to destroy all public library volumes removed from infected
houses ; this gives Kensington borrowers protection from infection from the council's books.
The number of books from the Kensington public libraries destroyed by the officers of the public
health department was 109. The number of private subscribing library books destroyed was 47, and
the number disinfected by formalin and returned to the householders was 24.
TUBERCULOSIS.
In accordance with the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1930, which rescinded the
regulations issued in 1912, 1921 and 1924, and consolidated their provisions with minor amendments,
all forms of tuberculous disease must be notified to the medical officer of health.
The information obtained from the system of notification is supplemented in the public health
department by a study of the death returns and an examination of the records of the borough
bacteriologist, who examines a large number of specimens of sputum, etc., for general practitioners.
From a survey of the records over a series of years it appears that a greater percentage of cases is
first coming to light as a result of a study of the death returns than was the case several years ago,
and as a consequence, the work of prevention and treatment of the disease is being hampered.
This is a matter which has frequently been brought to the notice of medical practitioners in the
borough.
When the bacteriologist finds tubercle bacilli in a specimen submitted by a practitioner, a
letter is sent to the doctor if a notification is not received in the course of a few days and in addition
to being asked to notify the case, the medical practitioner is informed of the facilities for treatment
offered by the council.