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34
As small-pox and scarlet fever were not so rife in 1885 as
in 1884, the number of articles disinfected this year was less
than in 1884, but greater than in any other year since 1881,
having been 3,553. Of these 332 consisted of beds, 132 of
mattrasses, 16 palliasses, 290 bolsters, 690 pillows, 765 blankets,
439 sheets, 284 quilts and 605 other articles. There were also
603 houses disinfected by the staff. The saving of the value of
the articles disinfected is not the chief advantage gained by
having a disinfecting apparatus, and working it by the Board's
officers, as we receive a considerable amount of information
respecting the prevalence of zymotio diseases, which we should
not otherwise procure, through the desire of the middle class
inhabitants to have their houses and bedding disinfected. The
disinfection is so thorough that I cannot call to mind more than
a case or two where the disease reappeared after the ordinary
period of incubation had passed, except where there was satisfactory
reason to believe that fresh infection from other sources
than the bedding or houses had occurred.
During the year 1,052 small bottles of carbolic acid and
4,086 small bags of disinfecting powder have been delivered to
poor persons applying here for disinfectants. The name and
address of every applicant and the reason for the application
were entered in a book. In this way information has been
obtained respecting the prevalence of infectious diseases and
defects in house drains, with which we should otherwise have
been unacquainted. The carbolic acid is chiefly used when
diluted for soaking or washing infected clothiug; and the
powder for drains, scrubbing rooms, &c. Large quantities of
disinfectants have also been supplied to the Surveyor's Department
for use when cleaning out street gullies, for disinfeoting
the contents of street gullies, and cleansing urinals. There
have been two outbreaks of zymotio diseases in two institutions
in this district, the causes of which could not be ascertained.
The first of these, viz., one of scarlet fever, occurred in the
Girls' Refuge, near the Cambridge Heath Bridge, and lasted