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Terminal disinfection of rooms and contents after most infectious diseases
can usually be accomplished by a thorough "spring cleaning" involving the use of
soap and water, fresh air and sunshine. Where sterner measures are deemed necessary,
as in the case of serious infectious disease, the premises are subjected to treatment
with formalin or white fluid disinfectant, and during the year 118 premises
were treated. Disinfection of clothing, bed-clothing and other suitable articles is
effected by steam disinfection at the council's disinfecting station. Library books,
leather articles, certain fabrics and other articles liable to damage by steam are
treated by formaldehyde in a disinfecting chamber.
Among the articles disinfected during the year were 2,603 articles of bedclothing,
2,219 articles of clothing (including used clothing for despatch abroad to
those countries which require a certificate that this treatment has been carried out),
868 library books and a quantity of leather articles and fabrics.
No charge is made by the council for disinfection.
Public Health Laboratory Service
Specimens for bacteriological examination are submitted to the Public Health
Laboratory Service at the branch laboratory which is situated at the Town Hall,
Edmonton, and serves an area greater than that of the borough.
Late in the year notification was received from the Public Health Laboratory
Service Board that plans had been completed for the institution of a new public
health laboratory at Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone, London, E.ll.
The new laboratory was required to provide a much-needed comprehensive
public health laboratory service in north-east London and it was intended to close
the branch laboratory at Edmonton. As a result of this situation accommodation
was no longer required for a laboratory in the new health centre, Hertford Road,
Edmonton. The laboratory at Whipps Cross should open early in 1968.
For the convenience of general practitioners and the public, several specimen
collection boxes are situated at various points throughout the borough. The specimens
are collected from the boxes daily and delivered to the branch laboratory.
A total of 11,389 clinical specimens submitted by general practitioners and
fhis department was examined.
The number of general practitioners who are regular users of the laboratory
services remains constant at about 75%.
Throughout the year we have continued to enjoy the invaluable advice and
assistance of the director of the branch laboratory, Dr. Mair Thomas, and her staff,
in the control of outbreaks of diseases.
(See Statistical Tables 6,7,8 and 9)
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