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74
REPORT ON DISINFECTION.
The object is (1) The better provision of the means of disinfecting
bedding and articles of clothing after dangerous infectious disease, under
Sections 59, 60 and 61 of the Public Health (London) Act of 1891. (2)
The carrying out of the provisions of the Cleansing of Persons Act of
1897 and (3) The carrying out of the Sections 24 to 26 of the L.C.C.
(General Powers) Act, 1904, relating to the cleansing and purifying of
filthy and verminous rooms and contents. The present means of disinfection
is inadequate to properly carry out the provisions of Section 60
Sub-section 5 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. It is not only
inadequate, but at times very costly, when both stations are in use as
they frequently are at the present time. With our present mode of disinfection
serious injury is being done to the bedding and clothing
submitted to us for disinfection. The stains which could easily be
removed from the articles by washing before the articles were placed in
the chamber, become permanently fixed and cannot be removed by any
subsequent washing. This permanent injury to clothing and bedding is
a very serious matter to the poor people of our district. We do compensate
persons for this damage from time to time, but hardly one in a
hundred makes any complaint. The necessity of a laundry in connection
with disinfecting stations is now generally acknowledged. Of course it
would be impossible to provide anything of the kind at Manor Place, as
there is no room for anything of the kind there. With regard to the
cleansing of persons which is a duty placed upon the local authority, we
have discouraged as far as possible persons applying to us, as we have
not the means for carrying out the purposes of the Act. When it is
impossible to avoid disinfecting and cleansing a verminous person and
his clothes, we have been compelled to use the Reception House in which
to treat him. In many of the boroughs, rooms, both for males and
females have been provided for these persons, and many hundreds have
availed themselves of the provision. In a district such as ours there is a
great want of such accommodation. Since the cleansing and purifying
of filthy and verminous rooms have been placed upon the Council by the
L.C.C. (General Powers) Act, the school authorities in particular have
forwarded many cases that have had to be dealt with, besides those we
are daily finding out ourselves. The Council can hardly be aware that we
have no accommodation for the officers, who are employed in the stripping
of rooms and in the other processes of disinfection, bathing and
cleansing themselves before going home. As a protection to outside
people with whom they come into contact this is obviously on economic
grounds very much needed.