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Disinfection.
Compulsory Cleansitig: The difficulties which have been experienced
from time to time in the past as regards the cleansing of verminous
persons who refused to be cleansed by the Sanitary Authority have
largely been removed by the compulsory powers conferred in Sec. 26
of the London County Council (General Powers Act, 1928). There is
now authority to compel any such person to be cleansed and also his
clothing. Application must be made to a petty sessional court, and
the Court, if satisfied, will make an order for the person's removal to
a cleansing station for the cleansing of himself and his clothing, and for
detention therein for such period and subject to such conditions as may
be specified in the order.
So far no occasion has arisen for putting these legal powers into force.
The fact that such powers exist supplies the necessary lever where ordinary
persuasion seems likely to fail.
Disinfection.—Disinfection of rooms from which patients suffering from
notifiable infectious disease have been removed is carried out by means of
the formaldehyde spray. For other non-notifiable infectious conditione
disinfection is carried out on request, and a charge is made according to
the circumstances of the case.
Bedding and wearing apparel are removed to the Disinfecting
Station, and are there submitted to steam disinfection. Books are
treated with formalin.
The cleansing of persons and of premises in a verminous state has
been carried out by the Disinfecting Staff. Visits were paid to 96 houses,
and 8,014 articles of clothing, bedding, etc., were removed for disinfection.
Individuals, numbering 295 men and 37 women, and 7 children
under school age, were given medicated baths at the Disinfecting Station,
which necessitated their making 339 attendances.
Notices from the London County Council in regard to school children
affected with vermin numbered 125, and the Disinfecting Superintendent
and the Sanitary Inspectors paid 379 visits of investigation to their homes.
By agreement with the London County Council, arrangements are in
force for the treatment at the Westminster Disinfecting Station of school
children from the boroughs of Battersea, Chelsea, Holborn, Kensington,
Lambeth, Paddington, St. Pancras, St. Marylebone, Fulham, and the
City of London.
There were among Westminster children 413 cases of head lice treated.
35 of scabies, and 7 cases of body lice. In all these cases, the clothing was
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