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
Marylebone 1921
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Marylebone, Metropolitan Borough]
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51
DISINFECTION.
The work done in this connection during 1921 is shown in the following tables.
The methods employed during the greater part of the time were substantially the
same as in previous years, articles suitable for treatment by steam were dealt with in
the Washington Lyons Disinfector, while for rooms either formalin or sulphur was
generally employed.
The number and nature of the articles disinfected are shown hereunder:—
| Compulsorily Notifiable Diseases. | Phthisis. | Measles. | Vermin. | Other causes. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds | 408 | 18 | - | 3 | 4 | 433 |
| Mattresses | 720 | 19 | - | 37 | 111 | 887 |
| Bolsters | 353 | 24 | - | 19 | 43 | 439 |
| Pillows | 1,625 | 51 | - | 59 | 305 | 2,040 |
| Sheets | 926 | 40 | - | 18 | 20 | 1,004 |
| Blankets | 1,470 | 47 | - | 34 | 101 | 1,652 |
| Sundries | 8,468 | 658 | 2 | 456 | 127 | 9 711 |
| Totals | 13,970 | 857 | 2 | 626 | 711 | 16,166 |
In 1920, the number of articles disinfected was 17,821.
The number of journeys made by the disinfecting vans during the year ended
December, 1921, was as under:—
January 68 August 71
February 64 September 70
March 68 October 68
April 66 November 70
May 68 December 67
June 70 —
July 69 819
The vans were used 836 times in 1920.
The number of rooms disinfected and the reasons for carrying out disinfection
are stated below:—
Reasons for Disinfection.
| Compulsorily Notifiable Diseases. | Phthisis. | Measles. | Vermin. | Other causes. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 85 |
| February | 70 | 9 | 1 | 2 | — | 82 |
| March | 58 | 12 | 1 | — | — | 73 |
| April | 38 | 12 | 1 | — | 4 | 57 |
| May | 74 | 11 | 1 | — | 5 | 91 |
| June | 69 | 10 | — | 1 | 2 | 82 |
| July | 82 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 97 | |
| August | 57 | 22 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 93 |
| September | 98 | 7 | — | 4 | 3 | 112 |
| October | 137 | 6 | — | 3 | — | 146 |
| November | 112 | 9 | _ | 1 | 8 | 130 |
| December | 73 | 7 | 1 | — | 7 | 88 |
| Totals | 931 | 125 | 13 | 25 | 42 | 1,136 |
The number of rooms disinfected in 1920 was 1,141.