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18
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
During the year some 459 examinations were made by Dr. J. Andrew, Pathologist,
Metropolitan Hospital. Of these, 274 were for suspected diphtheria, 5 for enteric
fever, 162 for tuberculosis, 10 for anthrax, 1 for gonorrhoea and 1 for dysentery.
Four specimens of urine, one of a tumour and one of pus were included. The results
were positive in 52 of the examinations for diphtheria, in 38 of those for tubercle
bacilli, and in 4 of the anthrax examinations.
In addition, some 432 specimens were examined for tubercle bacilli in connection
with the work of the tuberculosis dispensary at the Royal Chest Hospital, City Road.
DISINFECTION.
The premises disinfected numbered 1,045 ; the articles removed and disinfected
at the Borough Disinfecting Station totalled 21,576, and included 905 beds, 1,154
mattresses, 1,851 pillows, 547 bolsters and 17,119 others, such as sheets, blankets,
quilts, curtains, carpets, clothing and the like. It was necessary to destroy
2 beds, 41 pairs of mattresses, 2 pillows and 1 bolster which were so dilapidated
and contaminated as to render it inadvisable to return them. These were replaced
with new.
THE SHELTER.
The shelter in Reeves Place, provided under the Public Health (London) Act
1891, Section 60 (4), for the temporary accommodation of families in cases of dangerous
infectious disease to facilitate measures for disinfection was in use on one occasion
for the reception of a family of seven persons in connection with a case certified as
smallpox.
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
During the year the bodies of 185 persons were deposited in the mortuary.
The inquests held numbered 155 in connection with which 155 post mortem examinations
were made, 83 of these taking place at the post mortem room attached to the
mortuary. The body of one person dying of infectious disease was removed to the
mortuary.
WATER SUPPLY.
The Meteorological Table for London, deduced from observations at Greenwich
under the Astronomer Royal, issued by the Registrar-General for 1922, shows that
the rainfall for the year amounted to 23T77 inches, which is slightly below the
average. July was the wettest and May the driest months of the year. The fall
during July was considerably above the average for that month.
In accordance with Section 49 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, communications
were received from the Metropolitan Water Board as to water supplies
being cut off in respect to 54 premises, all of them in the Northern District. The
grounds for withdrawing the supplies were :—On account of defective water pipes
in 19 instances, waste on empty premises 5, by request of the consumer in
6 instances, non-payment of rates in 7, and premises demolished in 17 instances.