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50
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
Swimming Baths
In Wandsworth there are four public baths and one open-air
swimming pool belonging to the Corporation and one open-air
swimming pool owned by the Greater London Council.
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
(see photograph, centre page, Plate A) and are submitted for
bacteriological examination at the Public Health Laboratory at
County Hall. During the course of the year 86 samples were submitted
for examination and satisfactory results were obtained in
84 instances. In the remaining samples there were slight deviations
from normal, but subsequent tests proved satisfactory in all cases.
In addition to the baths mentioned above, there are open-air
swimming pools at three of the Corporation's Children's Homes,
one of which is situated at Banstead in Surrey. Satisfactory samples
were taken by Banstead Urban District Council in respect of the
Home in their area and by this department's inspectors in respect
of the pools at the two children's homes in Wandsworth Several
Inner London Education Authority's schools in the Borough have
indoor swimming baths and during the year 73 reports were received
from the Scientific Branch of the Greater London Council
in respect of eight of these baths, all of which were satisfactory.
Examination of Water from Artesian Wells and Taps
Twenty-six samples were submitted for examination at the PublicHealth
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 effective " 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.