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26
Washing facilities at public conveniences
Besides the ever-present danger of the serious typhoid infection,
there appears to be an increasing number of cases of mild food poisoning
occurring in the country generally, and although much of this increase
can be put down to more exact diagnosis, most of it is undoubtedly
due to defective hygiene and to the increased amount of meals taken
communally ; the latter in its turn is probably due to rationing and to
the fact that communal meals, e.g., in cafes or restaurants, are off the
ration. It may well be also that with the gradual improvement in
hygiene over the last hundred years less immunity is produced in the
body because of less frequency of infection. As a result, when infection
does occur, it produces a much greater effect. The method of attacking
the increased number of cases of food poisoning is to strengthen every
means of supervision of food from the time it is produced (that is from
the animal or vegetable source) through every process of manufacture,
wholesale and retail handling, to final consumption.
It is well-known that of all food poisoning cases the vast majority
are through germs or the poison produced by germs. It is also wellknown
that these germs are most often introduced into the food through
infected fingers ; the fingers being infected either by defective toilet
hygiene or by other defective personal hygiene, such as touching a sore
on the face or nose. Once fingers are infected they may remain
dangerous for a long time, even hours, unless they are washed ; and
washing does not merely mean dipping in cold water, but means a fairly
thorough washing with soap and warm water and preferably even a
scrubbing brush. It is for this reason that any way in which the public
can be induced to maintain a high state of cleanliness will be helpful in
reducing the chance of infection, and this applies more particularly to
food handlers, including especially stallholders in markets or streets.
It was mainly for this reason that I have suggested free washing
facilities might be installed in each of the sanitary-convenience premises
where at all practicable. When a charge is made this charge tends rather
to neutralise health education and the importance of washing the hands
after urination or defaecation. I do not think that cold water is sufficient
because, apart from the increased difficulty, there is a natural disinclination
to wash hands in cold water for some eight or nine months
of the year, and as we want to do all we can to encourage washing I think
attractive facilities should be provided. These should be hot and cold
water, liquid soap and either a hot air drier or individual towels. (The
process by which a long roller towel can be automatically pulled out a
little further to expose a clean part is much better than an ordinary
roller towel, but not so good as an individual towel whether of cloth
or of paper).
I feel sure that if these facilities could be included in each set of
public conveniences they would be made use of by an increasing number
of persons and as a result the public health would benefit. It is likely
that the facilities could not be made available in some of the existing
conveniences without much alteration, but it is suggested that they