Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-06-21
A SANITARY wAsH-Housg.
Such an Establishment should He Sup
ported by Every Large Town.

Such an Establiahment should He Sup
ported by Every Large Town.
Not the least important feature OF tho
health departments work in Glasgow Is
the sanitary wash-house. A similar
establishment should be part of the
municipal economy OF every large town.
In 1864 the authorities found ii neces-
sary 70 superintend the disinfec&ion Of
dwellings, and q small temporary wash
house was opened, with few tubs for
the cleansing OF apparel, etc, removed
from infected houses. For time after
the acquisition OF Belviderc a part OF
the laundry OF the hospital was used for
the purpose OF a general sanitary wash
house. But larger quarters being
needed, a separate establishment was
built and opened in 1881, its cost being
about $4,000. This place is so ad
mirable in its system and its mechanical
appointments that ] am again tempted
to digress with technical description.
| The place is In constant communica-
tion with sanitary headquarters, and
its collecting wagons are on the
road early every morning. The larger
/ part of the articles removed for disin-
( feetion and cleansing must b. returned
on the same day, to meet the necessi-
ties Of poor families. ] visited the house
on day when l,s00 pieces, from 25
4 different families. had come in. In
I 1857, 500 washings, aggregating $780,
4 00o pieces were done. The quantity, OF
/ course, varies from year to year with
the amount OF infectious diseases in the
city. The establishment has a crema-
/ tory, to which all household articles
whatsoever that are to be burned after
n case of infectious disease must be
brought BY the vans OF the sanitary de-
partmert. The carpct-cleaning machin-
cry and the arrangements Of disinfection
by steam, by chemicals, and by boiling
can not here describe.
The departments disinfecting and
whitewashing staff Is operated from the
wash-house as headquarters. A patient
being removed TO the hospital, the au-
thorities at once take possession of the
house for cleansing and disinfection. II
Is point Of interest also that the city
has provided comfortable "house OF
reception" OF some ten rooms. with two
or three permanent servants, where
families may be entertained for day or
more as the city's guests IL 1t is desira-
bic To remove them from their homes
during the progress of tho disinfecting
and clothes-washing operations. The
house Is kept in constant use, and it is
found very convenient thing for the
department TO have at its disposal.
As net results OF the sanitary work oi
the Glasgow authorities may DO men
toned tho almost entire extinction OF
some of the worst forms of contagiou:
disease, and mastery OF the situation
which leaves comparatively little feal
Of widespread epidemics in the future
in spite of the fact that Glasgow is 4
great seaport, has an unfavOrable eli
mate, and has an extraordinary dens'
and badly housed working population
The steady decline OF the total death
rate. and its remarkably rapid de
cline as regards those diseases a
which sanitary science more especially
aims its weapons, are achievement
which are proper source of gratiflca
tion 10 the town council and the officer
, of the health departmsnt.-Albert shaw
, in Century.