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
Holborn 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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| Diphtheria | Pulmonary Tuberculosis | Other Diseases | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number Submitted | Result of Examination | Number Submitted | Result of Examination | Number Submitted | Result of Examination. |
| 279 | Bacilli not found 252 Diphtheria Bacilli found 27 Vincent's organisms found — | 80 | Bacilli not found 72 | 2 | Negative 1 |
| Bacilli found 8 | Positive 1 | ||||
Disinfections.
During the year 487 rooms and 4,538 articles of bedding, clothing, etc., were
disinfected after various infectious diseases, inclusive of tuberculosis.
Thirty-seven rooms and 393 articles of bedding, clothing, etc., were disinfected
on account of tuberculosis.
Special attention is devoted to toys and more particularly to any toy put in
the mouth. Two hundred and forty-two books and 91 toys were disinfected.
The disinfections also included 16 lockers, and 8 hospital wards.
Cleansing of Persons Act.
During the year 99 persons (97 men and 2 women) infested with vermin
had their bodies and 1,103 articles of clothing disinfected, free of charge, at our
cleansing station (Goldsmith Street).
Shelter during Disinfection.
For some years past an arrangement has been in operation with the Council
of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury for accommodation to be provided at
their Reception House, Northampton Road, for residents of this Borough during
the disinfection of their homes after infectious disease. In the year 1936 the
accommodation was used by one Holborn family comprising two persons.
Extermination of Yermin.
One hundred and forty verminous rooms were disinfested by the Council's
staff.
In dealing with verminous rooms, the fumigation is repeated, whenever
practicable, at the end of twelve to sixteen days, by which time it is expected that
any eggs of bugs will have hatched out; a single fumigation of any severely
infested room cannot be regarded as satisfactory. In 130 cases last year this
second fumigation was carried out. When this course was for any reason
impracticable, the occupiers of the rooms were advised to use a disinfecting spray,
and to take such other measures as appeared likely to prevent recurrence of the
infestation.
From time to time in recent years it has become necessary to deal with vermin
infestation in new or comparatively new dwellings. It is found that usually the
infestation arises from infested furniture brought by the incoming tenants into
the new dwellings from verminous rooms formerly occupied by them. To prevent