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Disinfection.
Dr. Collingridge reports that the rebuilding of the disinfecting station in the City is completed,
" new fumigating chambers have been fitted, the steam disinfecting apparatus has been reconstructed,
and an incinerator for the cremation of infected articles has been added."
In 1906 a disinfecting station was provided at Wood Lane by the Borough Council of Kensington.
The station consists of an " infected room," a " disinfected room," a laundry, an air-tight chamber for
the disinfection of cabs and other vehicles, three van sheds and a boiler and engine house. Dr. Dudfield's
report contains the following particulars as to the disinfector and machinery, and of the process of disinfection
:—
" The type of disinfector is that known as the ' Alliott and Paton pattern;' The disinfecting chamber of each of
the two machines is 7 ft. long, 6 ft. high, and 3 ft. 7 in. wide internally, and is fitted with a steel framed door at each
end. The process consists of: firstly, extracting the air from the chamber and its contents ; secondly, replacing
it with dry high pressure saturated steam ; lastly, after the goods have been subjected to the action of the steam
at 20 lbs. pressure for a sufficient period to destroy all traces of organisms, the steam is allowed to escape and a second
vacuum obtained, this being broken in its turn by hot pure air, so that when, subsequently, the goods are removed
they are not only sterile but also dry and aired; Some articles which are wholly or partially made with leather,
fur, or the like, naturally cannot be subjected to steam without damage. These are disinfected in the same machine,
but are treated by formalin vapour introduced through special appliances provided for the purpose. Each disinfector
is fitted with recording pressure gauge, by means of which a diagram of every operation is obtained as a record, and as
evidence of the exact treatment that the goods have received. Stained articles, if introduced forthwith into the ordinary
disinfector, would be removed after steaming, with the stains ineradicably fixed, or even intensified. A rotary
steriliser has been fixed with the object of getting over this difficulty. Articles which are received stained or which
for other reasons require to be washed as well as sterilised, will be placed in the steriliser and properly cleansed without
handling of any sort. On removal from the rotary steriliser the washed articles can be taken into the laundry and placed
in a hydro-extractor, and afterwards dried in a drying closet, and finished in a Decoudun ironer. There is also an
airing closet in which articles may be stored after disinfection.- This is conveniently placed alongside the standing place
for the return van, and is warmed by means of steam coils. Two vertical boilers are provided as a precaution against
stoppages.
Dr. Reginald Dudfield states that an offer of a freehold site for the provision of a disinfecting
station was provisionally accepted by the Borough Council of Paddington. Plans and estimates were
prepared and an application for sanction to a loan was made to the Local Government Board.
The report of the medical officer of health of Poplar contains an interesting account of the
institution in that Borough of a plant for the manufacture of an "electrolytic disinfectant," from
a solution of sodium chloride and of magnesium chloride. Dr. Alexander reports favourably of the
result both in respect of its value as a disinfectant and in respect of cost of production.
Shelters.
Alteration in methods of disinfection of rooms after the occurrence in them of cases of infectious
disease is leading to the less frequent use of shelters provided for the accommodation of persons who
are temporarily deprived of the use of their rooms during the process. The annual reports show that
in some districts the shelters were not used during the year. Others of the reports show the number of
persons who were accommodated, thus:—
Persons accommodated. Persons accommodated.
Fulham 4 Finsbury 98
Chelsea 120 London, City of 27
Westminster 1 Bethnal Green 41
St. Marylebone 21 Stepney 179
St. Pancras 16 Southwark 1,266
Islington 32 Bermondsey 84
Hackney 114 Battersea 31