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
Bethnal Green 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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76
van has a large steel body and is otherwise equipped
for the conveyance and disinfestation by hydrocyanic
acid gas of furniture.
The table appended gives details of the rooms, bedding and clothing disinfected.
| No. of Rooms Disinfected | Articles of Clothing, etc., Disinfected by | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | Formalin | ||
| Infectious disease | 643 | 5,449 | 1,304 |
| Scabies | 23 | 6,218 | — |
| Verminous condition | 902 | 4,032 | 93 |
| Other conditions | 3 | 23 | 61 |
| Hospital bedding | — | 12,445 | 67 |
| 1,571 | 28,167 | 1,525 | |
Number of articles destroyed by request, 1,409.
The increase in the amount of disinfection, notwithstanding
the reduction of infectious disease,
is due to greater activity in dealing with verminous
conditions and with cases of scabies. In addition,
6 cwt. of rags were disinfected for a commercial
firm.
Arrangements are now in operation for any
necessary disinfection to be carried out during the
week-end, one disinfector standing by for duty on
Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.
Spraying Machines.
A small stock of spraying machines is kept for
issue on loan, with a quantity of insecticide, to residents
desirous of following up and completing the disinfection
of their rooms. The sprayers were lent
on 408 occasions during the year, as compared with
468 in 1935.
Verminous Conditions.
37 children (in 19 families) were reported
from the L.C.C. Cleansing Station as being infested