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
London County Council 1894
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Return showing particulars of replies received from Medical Officers of Health as to the Method of Disinfection adopted in the several sanitary districts within the County of London.
| No. | Parish or District. | Whether Sanitary Authority has provided disinfecting oven. | Where oven is situated. | Whether disinfection effected by dry heat or steam. | Manner in which dry heat is produced. | Arrangements made where no oven has been provided. | Whether any chemicals used in connection with the oven. | Length of time feather bed of average size is retained in oven, and highest temperature in centre of bed. | Arrangements made for removal of infected articles to and from oven. | Method adopted for disinfecting houses. | Disinfectant recommended for disinfection of excreta. | Whether charge is made for disinfection. | Whether shelter has been provided as required by Section 60 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. | Diseases after which Authority carries out disinfection. | Remarks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paddington | No | ... | Bedding, carpets, and large woollen fabrics bysuperheated steam | ... | By contract with Messrs. Armfield of Battersea | No | ... | WEST In waterproof bags and covered van, by Messrs. Arm-field, who call daily at the Vestry at 11 a.m. The goods when purified and disinfected are returned to the owners in other vans | DISTRICTS. Sulphurous acid gas | Solution of 12¾ oz. zinc sulphate, 4½ oz. copper sulphate, 11/3 oz. manganese sulphate, to one gallon of water. Used without further addition of water for chamber purposes, and in proportion of 1 oz. to a pint of water | Only occasionally | No | All notifiable diseases, except trifling cases of erysipelas | Carbolic soap supplied gratuitously to poor for washing and cleansing purposes. Everything done by Messrs. Armfield is cleansed as well as disinfected, bedding being taken to pieces, purified, and re-made. |
| 2 | Kensington | No | ... | 1. Dry heat principally used 2. Superheated steam when beds are in a foul condition | Gas | Disinfection carried out by a contractor | No | 4 to 5 hours. Feather bed 245° F., common mattress 232° F., hair mattress 237° F. Temperature in chamber ranges from 260 to 270° F. | Necessary vehicles provided by contractor. Infected articles taken away in waterproof canvas bags. Disinfected articles taken back in separate and non-infected vehicles | Sulphurous acid gas | for drains Sulphate of iron, 1 lb. to 1 gallon of water recommended. But it is mainly left to discretion of medical man in attendance | No | No | Smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, continued fevers, cholera; and puerperal fever occasionally | Articles disinfected are also cleansed. |
| 3 | Hammersmith | Yes | The Vestry's wharf, Chancellor's - road, Hammersmith | Dry heat | Furnace | ... | Sulphur | 3 hours. Temperature of oven 250° F. | Articles removed in an iron cart which is part of disinfecting apparatus; cart and contents being placed inside disinfector during process | Sulphurous acid gas. Floors, &c., washed with carbolic acid solution | Perchloride of mercury 1 in 5,000 | No | No. Clerk authorised to provide accommodation when occasion arises | Smallpox, chicken - pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhus, typhoid, erysipelas, continued fever, puerperal fever and cholera, also measles, when sanction can be obtained | When requested clothes infected with pediculi corporis are disinfected. |
| 4 | Fulham | No | Steam | ... | By contract with Mr. Lacy of Fulham | No | 10-20 minutes; 250° F. | ... ... ... | Sulphurous acid gas. Floors, &c., washed with corrosive sublimate 1 in 960, whitewashing and repapering | Condy's fluid 1 oz. to the pint | No | No | Every disease enumerated in the Public Health (London) Act, 1891 Sec. 55, sub-sec. 8 | The disinfection of houses is done by a separate officer, and if assistance is required a temporary officer is employed. | |
| 5 | Chelsea | Yes | Lot's-road | Steam (Washington Lyon) | ... | ... | No | 30-40 minutes 220°-250° F. | Two vans supplied by Vestry, one for infected and one for disinfected articles | Sulphurous acid gas by burning sulphur, or by use of liquified SO2 | St. Bede disinfectant | No | No | Rooms are disinfected, and bedding, clothing, &c., removed, for steam disinfection, after all notifiable diseases except erysipelas. | |
| 6 | St. George, Hanover-square | Yes | Commercial-road, Pimlico | Steam(Goddard, Massey and Warner) | ... | ... | No | 45 minutes; 248° F. | Two vans, one for infected and one for disinfected articles | Sulphurous acid gas. Scrubbing with carbolic soap and water. Removal and destruction of | Alkalised gas creosote | No | Yes | diseases except erysipelas. Smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, membranous croup, enteric fever, erysipelas, puerperal fever, continued fever, typhus, relapsing fever, cholera | |
| 7 | Westminster (St. Margaret and St. John) | Yes | Disinfecting station, Horse-ferry-road | Steam | ... | ... | ... | 35 minutes; 240° F. | Special vans ... | wall papers. Sulphurous acid gas | Left to discretion of medical man in attendance if case is treated at home | No | Yes | Smallpox, cholera, diphtheria, membranous croup, scarlet fever, typhus, enteric, puerperal and continued fevers, and sometimes erysipelas. Fumigation has been carried out in many cases of measles | |
| 8 | St. James, Westminster | Yes | Dufours - place, Broad - street, Golden-square | Steam (Washington Lyon) | No | 2 hours | Covered hand truck | Sulphurous acid gas. Cylinders containing liquified S02 are employed | Chloride of lime | According to circumstances | Yes | All notifiable diseases, but not always in cases of erysipelas or diphtheria |