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ADMINISTRATIVE WORK. 55
When the two hospitals now in progress are completed, the accommodation available
will amount to 10,121 beds. The usual scale of provision is one bed to every 1,000 of the
population, which would mean 4,700 beds for the Metropolis—less than half the number
given above.
Disinfection.—No change has to be recorded in the practice of the Department either as
regards rooms or goods. No notices for the delivery of articles exposed to infection for the
purposes of disinfection, or for the "cleansing and whitewashing" of premises after
infectious illness were required.
The articles disinfected and cleansed by the contractor weighed just over 67 tons,
10 tons more than in 1904. The cost amounted to £1,392, roughly £200 in excess of the
total for 1904 (£1,181).
On disinfectants (formaldehyde, soap and chloride of lime) the expenditure last year was
£24, the same as in 1904 and 1903. The expenditure under this head has declined for some
years.
In the Report for 1904 it was stated that the Council had decided to erect a disinfection
station on land in Kensal Road, in rear of the Public Baths. Legal difficulties arising from
the conditions of purchase, &c., led to the abandonment of that scheme. The Special
Committee have had before them other sites, but at the close of the year no definite decision
had been reached.*
Family Shelter.—No one has made use of the shelter for three years. The substitution
of the formaldehyde spray for sulphur, as the means of room disinfection, has made such
shelter almost unnecessary.
Water Supply.—The notices of discontinuance of water supply which are sent to the
Council under the provisions of Sec. 49 (1) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
numbered 102 as compared with 59 in 1904, 76 in 1903 and 121 in 1902. The reasons for
discontinuing the supply were reported by the Inspectors to be—

The supply was restored at 22 houses within 24 hours of being cut off, at 3 houses in 2,
8, or 4 days (1 each), at 2 after 5 days', 4 after 6 days', 1 after 14 days' and 1 after
8 months' interval. Notices to restore the supply were issued in 9 instances, one case
requiring the intervention of the Court and a closing Order. (See Legal Proceedings.)
An attempt was made during the year to secure increased supply of water to tenement
houses, an account of which will be found under Legal Proceedings.
* While this Report has been in preparation a communication has been sent to the Kensington Borough
Council enquiring whether arrangements could not be made for the work to be done at that Council's new station
in Wood Lane.