Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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children is also carried out there by the Borough Council's staff under the
supervision of a London County Council school nurse.
Notifications of Scabies over the last decade were:-
1943 | 518 | 1948 | 208 |
1944 | 1,032 | 1949 | 128 |
1945 | 1,021 | 1950 | 61 |
1946 | 924 | 1951 | 36 |
1947 | 318 | 1952 | 19 |
Details of treatment of Scabies and Verminous conditions:-
Scabies | Head or body lice | Cleansing Baths | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cases | Treatment s | Cases | Treatments | Cases | Treatments | |
Children under 5 years | 5 | 16 | 43 | 44 | ||
Children over 5 years | 33 | 101 | 694 | 699 | - | - |
Adults | 20 | 55 | 104 | 107 | 3 | 3 |
Total | 58 | 172 | 841 | 850 | 5 | 5 |
Preventive treatment was given to 26 persons who had been in close contact
with sufferers from Scabies.
DISINFECTION AND DISINFESTATION. The Council possess a very well-
equipped Disinfecting Station in Millfields Road. The Lodge has not been
used for residential purposes for some years but the Deputy Superintendent of
the Station took up residence there in May 1953. One block of buildings,
providing four units of living accommodation each comprising three rooms, was
erected for the isolation of contacts of major infectious disease. The two
ground floor units of this block have, however, for a number of years been
used as a centre for the treatment of scabies, verminous conditions and minor
ailments. The isolation accommodation was not used during 1952. The main
disinfection plant is situate in another building and comprises two large
steam disinfectors, a smaller steam disinfector, a formalin chamber, a phenol
chamber, airing and drying rooms, bathrooms, laundry, stores and boiler house.
Disinfection by hydrogen cyanide is carried out in three specially constructed
brick chambers, two being sufficiently spacious to accommodate large
furniture vans which obviates the need to unload the contents. Unwholesome
materials and unsound food are destroyed in a brick built incinerator. Adequate
garage accommodation is available.
The staff employed consisted of Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent,
drivers, disinfectors, cleansing attendants and laundry hands. In the laundry
section, in addition to infected materials, the laundering of articles used at
welfare centres and day nurseries in the Borough was carried out on behalf of
the London County Council; four women were employed on this work.
The following is a summary of disinfection and disinfestation work
carried out:-
(a) After the occurrence of infectious and contagious diseases:-
Rooms disinfected 1,348
Articles of bedding and clothing disinfected or
destroyed 31,612
Public Library and other books disinfected 15,508
(b) For the destruction of vermin:-
Rooms disinfected 759
Articles destroyed 1,148
Beds, mattresses, blankets, etc., treated in cyanide
gas chambers 719
Van loads of furniture treated in cyanide gas chambers 195
Articles disinfested by other means 4,550