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17. Greenwich A house, No. 86, East-street, has been provided for the whole
district. It is partially fitted for use. A sitting-room
and two bedrooms are available. There is no bath-room,
and crockery, cooking utensils, &c., are not provided.
There is a resident caretaker.
18. Woolwich A house has been provided containing five bedrooms (two
furnished), a dining-room, a kitchen, and a bath-room.
There are also in the house two rooms occupied by a
caretaker. It is stated that people have no great aversion
to going there. The house has been much used, the
average stay in it being one night, but some persons have
been there six nights.
19. Plumstead No. 38, The Slade, a two-storey detached house overlooking
the common. One of the inspectors lives here, and two
bedrooms and a sitting-room are furnished for use of
persons requiring temporary shelter. Such persons have
the use of the kitchen and of cooking appliances, and
crockery, &c., is provided. In the bedrooms there is
washing accommodation but there is no bath-room.
There is one water-closet in the yard at rear. Eight
families have used the house up to the present time. No
one has stayed in the shelter more than one night.
20. Lee—
Charlton One room has been provided in a lean-to building at the parish
wharf. It is supplied with chairs and a table and a small
gas-stove. No provision has been made for cooking or
sleeping. It has only been used once since it was opened
a year ago.
It will be seen that somewhat different views have been taken by the several sanitary authorities
who have provided a shelter as to the character of the accommodation which is required. In some
instances this accommodation is provided for use by night, but in others only day accommodation
has been considered necessary. The time occupied in the removal of infected articles to the
disinfecting station, in their disinfection, and in their return, extends to several hours. The time
occupied in the purification of the room, often the only room of the family, extends to many hours. It
is obvious that the use of the shelter by night must be contemplated in any arrangements made ;
provision, however, which would meet the necessities of the use of the dwelling-room at night has not
in a number of instances been made. This is a consideration which undoubtedly deserves the attention
of the sanitary authorities.
The provision of baths is another consideration which should be borne in mind, for opportunities
for personal cleanliness are especially necessary for those coming from infected houses.
The opinion was frequently expressed during the enquiry that poor persons were unwilling to use
the accommodation which has been provided. In connection with this difficulty it deserves to he
pointed out that these people need the experience which time only can give; they will eventually
find this accommodation meet their convenience, and I do not doubt that tbe use of shelters will grow
from year to year. But it must be remembered that the expectation that the poor will avail themselves
of these temporary homes must depend very largely upon the shelter being made reasonably attractive,
as in the case of hospitals and mortuaries.
Districts mentioned in Schedule C to the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855.
The tabular statement does not give account of the arrangements made in these districts in
respect to disinfection, but it may be stated briefly that Lincoln's-inn makes use of the St. Giles
disinfecting apparatus; the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple have arranged with the Commissioners
of Sewers for the disinfection of infected articles; the Charterhouse, Staple-inn, and Furnival's-inn,
included in the Holborn Union, use the dry-heat oven belonging to the guardians of that union; the
Close of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter has arranged with a contractor; and Gray's-inn has left the
arrangements to its medical officer of health.
Shirley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.