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vans. Destruction of unwholesome materialsunsound foods. etc., is carried
out by burning in a brick-built incinerator Garage accommodation for the
seven vehicles used by the Department is also available at the Station
The LAUNDRY section of the Station deals with articles of clothing after
disinfection, laundry of incontinent persons, as well as articles of clothing
and bedding from the London county Council s welfare centres and day nurseries
in the Borough
METHODS OF DISINFECTION On notification of a case of infectious disease
requiring disinfection after removal to hospital the home is inspected and
the following methods used:-
Rooms - The patient's room the bathroom and w c and where necessary: other
rooms are sprayed with Izal solution, 1 part of Izal to 40 parts of water,
and thereafter the doors and windows are kept closed for two hours.
Clothing and bedding are collected for treatment by steam, at a pressure
of 15 to 20 lbs. per square inch for up to half an hour.
Other articles - which would be damaged by steam treatment - are exposed
to Calvex vapour for 1% hours,
Library and other books are treated by Formalin vapour
Home Cases„ In the case of certain infectious diseases treated at home:
Izal disinfecting fluid is supplied by the Department for current
disinfection where personal clothing and bed linen is being sent to
a public laundry the articles are first collected and disinfected. At
the conclusion of the illness the terminal disinfection of rooms,
bedding, etc , described above is carried out
DISINFESTATION OF FURNITURE, Cyanide treatment is carried out in those cases,
mainly bug infestation where it is necessary to disinfest the furniture of
families moving to new dwellings on Housing Estates The routine procedure is:-
(a) Tenants are fully instructed as to the safety precautions to be taken
by them,
(b) Loaded van is driven into cyanide chamber and van doors and ventilators
are fully opened,
(c) chamber is sealed,,
(d) Hydrogen cyanide is circulated for % hour
(e) Van and contents remain standing in chamber for a further 1¼ hours.
(f) Hydrogen cyanide extraction and intake of fresh air for a period of 1
hour.
(g) Van driven out of chamber and left standing in the open with doors
open for one hour.
(h) Furniture is delivered to new address
(i) Van unloaded under supervision of Disinfecting Station staff
(j) All upholstered furniture and any other soft goods are placed in a
vacant room with open windows the door is then sealed and a danger
notice displayed sometimes food, medicines, cleansing materials,
etc., have been packed in van contrary to instructions and these,
too, are left in sealed room overnight..
(k) If on unloading van, any bedding or bedclothes accidentally included
are discovered these are taken back to the Disinfection Station for
airing.
(1) After 24 hours the Superintendent or his Deputy opens sealed room and
tests are carried out with litmus paper for any remaining Hydrogen
cyanide.
(m) Any food, etc is removed for destruction but cleansing materials are
left if free of Hydrogen cyanide,
(n) Any other article still showing traces of Hydrogen cyanide is removed
to Disinfecting Station for further ventilation
The cyanide method of disinfestation is also employed for treating single
articles of furniture on request from owners or occupiers