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

St Pancras 1906

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]

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70
PERSONAL CLEANSING STATION.

Table: 1. Personal Cleansing.— The number of cleansings of the body, and disinfesting of the clothing of persons applying at the Station during the year were :—

1. Personal Cleansing.— The number of cleansings of the body, and disinfesting of the clothing of persons applying at the Station during the year were :—

Slept previous night atVermin.Males.FemalesChildren underl10.Total.
Private AddressesPhthiriasis—Pediculi —Head30700171901
—Body822321126
Scabies—Acari54615
Rowton HousesPhthiriasis—Pediculi—Head............
„ —Body71......71
Scabies—Acari............
Common LodgingHousesPhthiriasis—Pediculi—Head1712...29
„ —Body7594763
Fcabies—Acari29......29
Salvation Army ShelterPhthiriasis—Pediculi—Head...
„ —Body8......3
Scabies —Acari.........
In the openPhthiriasis—Pediculi—Head7...7
,, —Bodv3267...833
Scabies—Acari4......4
Phthiriasis—Pediculi Head54712171937
„ Body124134211296
Scabies—Acari384648
Doubtful6932112a
Total133984,32192401

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The Personal Cleansing Station consists of (1) the Personal Cleansing House for
adults and (2) the Children's Baths for school children.
PERSONAL CLEANSING HOUSE.
In 1903, the Borough Council resolved, that in accordance with the Cleansing
of Persons Act, 1897, bath rooms and waiting places should be provided,
adjoining the Disinfecting Station, for the cleansing of persons and the
disinfesting of clothing: infested with vermin.
Accordingly, towards the end of 1903 and the beginning of 1904, at the north
end of the Contact Shelter two baths and a small waiting lobby were provided
for men on the ground floor and two bath-rooms and a small waiting lobby for
women and children on the floor over, and an outside iron staircase erected in
the yard as a separate means of approach for the women and children. The
Woman Attendant at the Contact Shelter was instructed to act also as attendant
at the Personal Cleansing House.
The provision was completed towards the end of the first quarter of 1904,
and during the remaining three quarters of that year 1796 men, women, and
children were cleansed and disinfested of vermin. (See tables on next page.)
During 1905, the number of persons cleansed and disinfested was 3,401.
But during the year it was observed that the attendance of children was steadily
diminishing until it almost ceased. (See tahlta on next page.)
Careful inquiry disclosed the fact that the children mainly consisted of school
children attending elementary schools, whose parents objected to their association
with verminous men and women, and indeed, objected to the mention of