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39
Convalescent Homes.
1924.—One application for admission of a child to a Convalescent Home was made and acceded to.
1925.—One nursing mother and her baby were admitted to St. Mary's Convalescent Home,
Birchington, for three weeks, the cost being defrayed by the Committee.
ADMINISTRATION.
GENERAL.
Staff of the Department.—Dr. R. Dudfield who had been Medical Officer of Health of Paddington
since 1894, died on the 19th April, 1925. Dr. A. B. Porteous was appointed Acting Medical Officer
of Health, and held office until September 25th, 1925, when the duties of Medical Officer of Health
were taken over by Dr. G. E. Oates.
Mr. H. J. Heeley, a Tenement-house Inspector, resigned from the Council's service in December,
1924, and Mr. R. A. Jones, a District Inspector, in January, 1925. Mr. C. G. Heron and Mr. C.
Binding were appointed in March, 1925, to fill the vacancies. In April, 1925, Mr. V. L. Ronchetti
was appointed as an additional Inspector and, after a re-arrangement of the work of the District
Inspectors, was placed in charge of a district.
Prevention of Infectious Disease.—Visits of inquiry after notification of infectious disease numbered
9,493 in the year 1924, and 7,756 in the year 1925.
These figures exclude visits in connection with tuberculosis, which are recorded elsewhere in
the report.
The removals to hospitals and other institutions for various diseases other than tuberculosis
numbered 1,159 in 1924, and 1,034 in 1925.
In connection with the arrangement made by the Council with the Paddington and St. Marylebone
District Nursing Association, 237 patients (comprising 156 cases of measles, 75 of pneumonia, 3 of
whooping cough and 3 of ophthalmia neonatorum) were visited in their homes by the nurses of the
Association during 1924, and 139 patients (comprising 56 cases of measles, 74 of pneumonia, 6 of
whooping cough and 3 of ophthalmia neonatorum) during 1925. The visits paid to these patients
numbered 3,927 in 1924, and 2,782 in 1925.
Disinfection.—The rooms disinfected after infectious disease numbered 3,764 in 1924, and 2,785
in 1925. These totals include 247 rooms disinfected after tuberculosis in 1924, and 254 in 1925.
The weight of bedding, etc., removed for disinfection amounted to 20J tons in 1924, and 22\ tons
in 1925.
Two hundred and ten library books were disinfected during 1924, and 121 during 1925.
At the end of the year 1923, Messrs. Armfield and Sons, Ltd., who had for many years carried
out under contract the disinfection of bedding, clothing, etc., for the Council, ceased to perform this
work. From January 1st to March 31st, 1924, the necessary steam disinfection was carried out by
the Kensington Borough Council at their Wood Lane Disinfecting Station at a charge of 15 shillings
per cwt. of articles disinfected. The total weight dealt with during this time was 5 tons, 4 cwt. odd,
and £78 13s. 2d. was paid for the services rendered.
As the above arrangement was found to be satisfactory and economical a contract was entered
into with the Kensington Borough Council as from April 1st, 1924.
Bedding, clothing, etc., are disinfected at the Wood Lane Disinfecting Station by exposure to
steam under a pressure varying from 15 to 20 lbs. above atmospheric pressure for 15 minutes.
Schools.—During 1924, 6,056 notices relating to the occurrence of infectious disease were sent
to the Head Teachers of the various schools attended by patients or their " contacts," the corresponding
figure for 1925 being 3,627. Of the notices sent during 1924, 5,437, and of those sent during
1925, 2,875, related to cases of measles, whooping cough and chicken-pox. In addition 355 reports
were sent during 1924, and 292 during 1925, to the Medical Officers of Health of other boroughs in
connection with cases attending outlying schools.
Bacteriological Work.—The Council have an arrangement with the Lister Institute of Preventive
Medicine, Chelsea Gardens, S.W. 1, for the bacteriological examination, at the expense of the
Council, of specimens sent by medical practitioners of Paddington patients suspected to be suffering
from diphtheria, tuberculosis of the lungs or typhoid fever.
All specimens are collected at the Town Hall and transmitted to the Lister Institute by special
messenger the same evening. The results are generally available the next morning, and are telephoned
to the medical practitioner concerned.