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38
Apart from many casual inspections 9 official visits were
made under the Act during 1959.
Reception House:
The portion of the Health Centre which had in the past been
maintained by the Council as a Reception House(for persons who
could not remain in their own rooms whilst these were being
cleansed after infectious disease, or who had no alternative
accommodation in which to reside during housing repairs) continued
to be used, by agreement with the North East Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board, for the purpose of accommodating the administrative
side of the Mass Radiography Unit.
The Islington Borough Council has kindly agreed to provide
accommodation for Finsbury residents at their Reception House as
and when the occasion should arise.
Disinfection:
Disinfection is carried out in all cases after infectious
disease has occurred when it is considered necessary, and in other
cases on request, generally after advice has been given that it
would be advisable for it to be carried out.
In the past it has been the practice other than in the more
exceptional cases, i.e., smallpox, typhus etc., to spray the rooms
and contents with diluted formalin, but in April 1959 consideration
was given to a memorandum issued by the Ministry of Health as to
improved uses of formaldehyde in fumigation.
Consequently it was decided that in such cases as smallpox,
typhoid, paratyphoid, poliomyelitis and diphtheria, together with
any other case where such methods were deemed advisable, to carry
out a fumigation of the infected rooms with a mixture of formaldehyde
and potassium permanganate, after a thorough sealing had
been carried out. Between May and December 1959, 30 premises,
including two whole sections of a London County Council School,
were so treated.