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
Southwark 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]
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10
Vreatment & Bathing
Centre
Whilst there has been a decrease in the total number of
treatments for vermin and scabies during the year, there was a
substantial increase in the number of male casual cases coming
from hostels, etc. This was probably due to the much stricter
precautions which appear to be taken in these establishments
now against the risk of verminous conditions.
The Centre has undertaken a very considerable quantity of
chargeable trade disinfection work during the year, and there
have also been increases in the amount of departmental laundry,
destruction of verminous goods, and disinfection of common
lodging houses.
The Superintendent of the Treatment and Bathing Centre
investigates all cases of infectious diseases where disinfection or
special enquiries are involved. This often necessitates several
visits, whilst several instances of persons arriving in this
Borough by air from smallpox infected areas or vessels also
entailed much time in visiting and the supervision of contacts.
A considerable amount of work is concerned with enquiries
into cases for burial under the National Assistance Act, and the
disinfection, storage, and sale, disposal, or destruction of the
effects of these persons.
Demonstrations of the work of this Centre are always in frequent demand, and during 1950 14 such sessions were arranged for approximately 127 students.
| Analysis of work carried out during the year. | |
| Verminous Rooms Sprayed (D.D.T.) | 2,141 |
| Verminous Household Goods Destroyed | 9 tons 2ΒΌ cwts. |
| Infected Rooms Sprayed (Formaldehyde) | 202 |
| Infected Household Goods Destroyed | 2 cwts. |
| Hospital Wards disinfected | 24 |
| Common Lodging Houses disinfested | 166 rooms |
| Rooms disinfected by request (Tuberculosis, Measles, Cancer deaths, etc.) | 111 |
| Trade goods disinfected (steam) | 143 mattresses, 500 palliasse covers, 11,931 greatcoats, 1,500 trousers, 3,132 peaked caps, 3,702 jackets and tunics |
| Library books disinfected | 94 |
| Departmental laundry | 4,524 towels, 903 swabs and dusters, 15 sheets. |