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mind at the moment the need for dealing with rheumatism in children and in connection with that the
need for hospital beds. I have also in mind the fact that the cancer compaign of the Council for the
early detection and treatment of this disease which is killing more and more people every year has
not been so successful as had been hoped because, amongst other reasons, of the dissociation of the
cancer clinics from the necessary hospital arrangements for diagnosis and the provision of beds.
There is another matter which I think the Committee should also have in mind in connection
with the consideration of this problem and that is the general requirements at the Municipal Hospital
for Infectious Diseases. I have already reported that these are below standard. Apart then from the
immediate needs for tonsils and adenoids which can be met in the manner outlined above, I think
it would be worth while for the Committee to consider, if they so desire, the need for making arrangements
for the prevention and treatment of rheumatic diseases in childhood and the need for additional
accommodation at the Hospital for Infectious Diseases purposes. In this way a better layout of the
Hospital will be obtained because in connection with extensions there are ancillary matters to be
considered, such as nursing accommodation, kitchen accommodation, hot water provision, etc. I am
not suggesting that there is the same urgency in respect of the latter problems that there is with
regard to enlarged tonsils and adenoids, but merely that the Council should take time by the forelock
and plan ahead so that future requirements may be met in the best possible way.
GEORGE F. BUCHAN,
Medical Officer of Health.
APPENDIX M.
Submitted to the Joint Meeting of Housing Committees on the 18th June, 1935.
Further Memorandum by the Medical Officer of Health in continuation of Memorandum on Management
of Houses to be erected by the Council under the Housing Act, 1930, and presented to the Housing
Act, 1930, Sub-Committee on the 13th December, 1934.
1. Dwellers in clearance areas and from overcrowded houses have to be moved into new houses
to be erected by the Council at Curzon Crescent, Alpha Place North and Park Mews.
2. It will be necessary to secure that they enter the new houses as clean and as free from insect
pests as possible. To this end, the following action requires to be taken :—
(a) Disinfection of the bedding by steam disinfection.
This could be done at the Willesden Municipal Hospital or at the same station as
might carry out the disinfestation under (b) below.
(b) Disinfestation of all furniture and other effects in a specially constructed van by hydrocyanic
acid gas.
Arrangements could be entered into with the Kensington Borough Council for
this purpose. The disinfected bedding and disinfested furniture and other effects would
afterwards be taken to the new house.
3. It has also been suggested that the family should be bathed and washed and the clothes
they have in use disinfected before they enter the new house. This may be desirable but it means
either that provision has got to be made for the temporary accommodation of the family while this
process is going on or that each member of the family should have a complete change of raiment.
I do not consider this item of the same importance as the disinfection of the bedding and the disinfestation
of the furniture and other effects because the principal objective is to prevent bugs arriving
at the new house. It is lice not bugs which are found on persons and on their personal clothing and
an individual with lice entering a new house will not infect the house with lice although he may infect
other members of the family. Such infected persons can be dealt with at any time after their removal
to the new house without any detrimental effect to the property and without the need either of providing
them with temporary accommodation or new clothing. Indeed, it would be an excellent
educative measure to persuade each member of the family as soon as possible after his removal into
the new house to wash and bath himself in the bath provided and change into clean clothes which he
should provide. The Health Department would help the tenants to deal with any cast-off clothing so
far as they might require disinfection.