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Disinfection
Premises are not normally sprayed following cases of the more common
infectious diseases. During the year 31 rooms in 17 premises were sprayed
with formaldehyde upon request. These requests are usually made after a
death and disinfection is carried out from the humanitarian point of view.
Assisted Bathing
The cleansing of elderly and/or infirm persons under the supervision
of the Superintendent, who is a State Registered Nurse, was started by the
former Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith in the autumn of 1961. This is
a service which is impossible to organise systematically for various reasons
understandable in dealing mainly with old people in a poor state of
health and to whom a stated time on a stated day means very little. From
past experience it has been found that approximately one journey in six
proves fruitless. However, this service is greatly appreciated by the 18
patients who were regularly assisted during the current year. Their ages
varied from 40-91 years and the infirmities included psoriasis, diabetes,
poliomyelitis, arthritis, cervical syringo myelia, multiple sclerosis and
hemiplegia. The number of cleansings performed was 308.
Health Laundry
With the exception of 1967, the demand for this service has increased
year by year. The opinion was expressed in last year's report that conceivably
the peak of this most helpful service had now been reached. However,
1968 once again shows that demand continues, the increase being approximately
5%. In all 11,692 collections were made and 140,303 articles were
laundered giving an average of 12 per collection.
Tribute should be paid to the staff of the laundry service who in particular
during the past year have worked under considerable difficulties.
The machines used in both Scotts Road and Townmead Road laundries have
long since passed their useful life and are in need of constant repair and
attention. The service rendered by the Borough Engineer's Department has
been most excellent but machines have been out of action on many occasions
due to the difficulty in obtaining spares, in fact on several occasions
parts have had to be machined in the Council's depot. It is fortunate that
due to the cooperation of the Baths Manager laundry facilities have been
made available at Dawes Road on many occasions. Without this valuable
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