London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Woolwich 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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103
Arrangements for Disinfection and Disinfestation and the Extent of
Their Use.
Disinfection.—The Council's Disinfecting Station is situated at White Hart
Road, Plumstead, where there are installed two Washington Lyon Steam Disinfectors,
one high-pressure steam washing disinfector, and one room for disinfecting
articles which cannot be subjected to heat.
The Station is used for the disinfection of articles after the ordinary infectious
fevers and for the disinfestation of bedding and kindred articles infested with vermin.
The Station is sometimes used for special disinfection at the request of inhabitants.
A small charge is made for these disinfections and during the year
39 such disinfections were carried out, and charges amounting to £10 4s. 0d. were
paid. Occasionally rag flock is disinfected prior to export.
In tabular form is shown below the amount of disinfection which was carried
out during the year:—
TABLE No. 58.
| Rooms disinfected after ordinary fever | 707 |
| Rooms disinfected after tuberculosis | 243 |
| Rooms disinfected after verminous cases | 1,370 |
| Rooms disinfected for other reasons | 12 |
| Articles disinfected | 42,067 |
Disinfestation.—In accordance with the terms of an agreement with the London
County Council, disinfestation of school children is carried out at the Cleansing
Station, White Hart Road. Disinfestation of adults is carried out at times when
the children are not there.
The following Table No. 59 shows the number of persons cleansed each year since 1934.
TABLE No. 59.
| Year. | Children. | Adults. | Grand Total. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys. | Girls. | Total. | Males. | Females. | Total. | ||
| 1934 | 611 | 1,715 | 2,326 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 2,333 |
| 1935 | 603 | 1,818 | 2,421 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 2,434 |
| 1936 | 632 | 1,747 | 2,379 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2,386 |
| 1937 | 660 | 2,047 | 2,707 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 2,733 |
| 1938 | 924 | 1,892 | 2,816 | 19 | 30 | 49 | 28,65 |