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
City of Westminster 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Disinfection and Disinfestation.
| Rooms. | Articles. | Articles Destroyed | Articles Washed. | Vehicles. | Books. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disinfection | 393 | 21,447 | 3,436 | 1,778 | 24 | 1,558 |
| Disinfestation | 3,405 | 1,730 | 3,814 | — | 5 | — |
| Laundry towels | – | – | – | 6,227 | – | – |
Cleansing of Persons.
| 1952. | Scabies. | Head Lice. | Body Lice. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases. | Treatments. | Cases. | Treatments. | Cases. | Treatments. | |
| Men | 50 | 90 | 436 | 436 | ||
| Women | 28 | 83 | 21 | 26 | 16 | 19 |
| Children (including those under school age) | 23 | 63 | 233 | 247 | — | — |
13,739 articles of bedding, clothing, etc., were disinfected, and 531
articles destroyed.
Apart from the normal disinfection and washing of clothing, bedding,
etc., following infectious disease, assistance has been given to elderly
and infirm people being nursed by the District Nurses, by arranging for
the cleansing of bed linen which had become fouled and unwholesome
through illness. Arrangements have also been carried out for the washing
and disinfestation of the clothing of old people prior to their being
admitted into homes. Vagrants who come voluntarily to the Cleansing
Station or who are brought by the Police are cleansed and their clothes
disinfested and washed.
Burial or Cremation of the Dead.
Under the provisions of Section 50 of the National Assistance Act,
1948, it is the duty of the City Council as a Sanitary Authority to cause
to be buried or cremated the body of any person who has died or is
found dead in the area, where no other arrangements have been made
for the disposal of the body.