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
Finsbury 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finsbury Borough]
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Disinfection:
Disinfection is carried out at premises where an infectious
disease has occurred, upon request, or when such action is deemed
desirable as a precautionary measure.
In some cases infected rooms and the contents are sprayed with a
formalin solution and if necessary bedding etc. is conveyed to the
Health Centre for treatment in the steam disinfector. Where the more
serious types of infection have been present, arrangements are made to
seal the infected rooms, and fumigate with a mixture of formaldehyde
and potassium permanganate.
During 1963 it was not neceesary to resort to this kind of treatment, although spraying was carried out on 142 occasions under the following headings:
| Suspected Dysentery and Gastro Enteritis | 34 |
| Suspected Measles | 16 |
| Suspected Scarlet Fever | 24 |
| Suspected Whooping Cough | 8 |
| Suspected Tuberculosis | 5 |
| On behalf of St. Marks Hospital) Moorfields Eye Hospital) Mount Pleasant G.P.0. and) Miscellaneous spraying I.D) | 55 |
Bedding and clothing were brought to the Disinfecting Station in
the Health Centre in these cases, and disinfected with steam. In all
including the cases where this was carried out for the control of
vermin, 527 articles were treated.
Goods,mostly clothing, were also disinfected on behalf of certain export firms as follows:-
| Number of articles | 5,223 |
| Number of times disinfecting plant charged | 27 |
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.
No use has been made of this accommodation during 1963.
54.