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At the beginning of the year the following
memorandum was presented to the Town Clerk and
Controller and other Chief Officers of the Council"In
the first place I consider that all premises in
use by the various parties now engaged in A.R.P.
should be continuously and efficiently ventilated,
without causing draught and kept clean. They should
not be overheated and the spaces between beds should
never be less than three feet.
The congregation of personnel round a fire or
other source of heat in close company should always
be avoided. The kitchens, cooking ana eating
utensils should be kept scrupulously clean and the
latter washed in really hot water after every meal.
Attention should be given to the refuse bins always
being kept covered and being removed as frequently
as possible.
Regarding individuals themselves, I would
say that active exercise in the open air should be
taken whenever possible and that there should be
avoidance of using "protective clothing" except in
exercises and other such duty. If the men partake
of a strenuous game such as football, a good wash
down with a shower afterwards should be made
available. If on returning from duty clothing
be wet-especially footgear-facilities for
changing and drying wet clothing should be provided.
A person who has a cold should be told to keep away
from his fellows otherwise he is likely to spread
the trouble. The fatigue almost inevitably
associated with irregular hours of duty can be
minimised by the men themselves making judicious
use of rest periods which may be available."
As the Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital
Isolation Block at Ravenscourt Square, Hammersmith,
W.6, was taken over for A.R.P. purposes immediately
on the declaration of war, the Borough Council
entered into an agreement with the London County
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