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44
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
Swimming Baths
In Wandsworth there are four public baths and one open-air
swimming pool belonging to the Corporation, one open-air swimming
pool owned by the Greater London Council and one privately
owned open-air swimming pool, to which the public may be
admitted.
The source of water for two of the Corporation's baths is from
deep wells and, for the other baths mentioned above, from the
mains supply of the Metropolitan Water Board. At all of these
baths the water is chlorinated and circulates continuously through
a filtration plant. Samples of water are taken at regular intervals
and submitted for bacteriological examination at the Public Health
Laboratory at County Hall. During the course of the year 135
samples were submitted for examination and satisfactory results
were obtained in 131 instances. In the remaining samples there
were slight deviations from normal, but subsequent tests proved
satisfactory in all cases. Five chemical examinations of swimming
bath water were also made by the Public Analyst with satisfactory
results.
In addition to the above-mentioned baths, three Corporation
Children's Homes, one of which is situated outside the borough,
have open-air pools and a number of Greater London Council
schools in the area have indoor swimming baths. Twenty-seven
reports were received from the Scientific Department of the Greater
London Council in respect of eight of these baths. All were
satisfactory.
Examination of Water from Artesian Wells and Taps
Twenty-nine samples were submitted for examination at the
Public Health Laboratory, all of which proved satisfactory. One
chemical examination of domestic water supply was made by the
Public Analyst and this also was satisfactory.
Disinfection and Disinfestation
Methods of Disinfection: Following the notification of a case of
infectious disease requiring disinfection, an inspection is made
and the following methods used. The patient's room is sprayed
with a formaldehyde solution. The doors and windows are closed
and the room can be used again after five or six hours. Advice is
also given to the occupiers that a thorough "spring cleaning" of
the room is a very elfective "disinfection" process, and should be
carried out in addition to the work of disinfection by the Council's
staff.
Bedding and clothing are collected and steam-treated at the
Disinfecting Stations. Sheets, pillow cases and hand towels are
exposed to formalin vapour in a special chamber prior to being
washed in the Council's laundry.