Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-03-13
A SANITARY WAsH-HoUSE.
How Infected Articles are Cleaned in
Glas cow.

Albert Shaw has q suggestive article in
the Century entitled ''Glasgow; NUM-
cipal Study" from which we quote:
mot the least important feature of the
health departments work in Glasgow is
the Sanitary Wash-house. A similar es-
tablishment should be part of the muni-
cipal economy of every large town. In
1864 the authorities found it necessary to
supcrintend the disinfection of dwellings,
and 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 Belvidere 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 estab-
lishment was built and opened in 1888,
its cost being about $500 This
place is so admirable in its system and
its mechanical appointments that l am
again tempted to digress with technical
description. The place is in constant
communication with sanitary headquar-
tiers, and its collecting wagons are on the
road early every morning. The larger
part of the articles removed for disinfec
tion and cleansing must be returned on
the same day, to meet the necessities of
poor families. l visited the house on u
day when /, 800 pieces from % different
families had come in. In 1887, 6,700
washings, aggrcgating $50, 900 pieces,
were done. The quantity, of course, va
ries from year to year with the amount of
infectious disease in the city. The es-
tablishment has a crematory, to which
oil nIol1 ,,1n ,l,@ 80
to be burned after case of infectious
disease must be brought by the vans of
the sanitary department. The carpet
cleaning machinery and the arrangements
for disinfection by steam, by chemicals,
and by boiling l cannot 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. 1t
is a point of interest also that the city
has provided a comfortable house of re-
ceptlon' of some ten rooms, with two or
three permanent servants, where families
may be entertained for day or more as
the city's guests if it is desirable to re-
move them from their homes during the
progress of the 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 of
the Glasgow authorities may be men
toned the almost entire extinction of the
worst forms of contagious disease, and a
mastery of the situation which. leaves
comparatively little fear of widespread
epidemics in the future, in spite of the
fact that Glasgow is great seaport, has an
unfavorable climate, and has an extraor
dinarily dense and badly housed popu-
lation. The steady decline of the total
death-rate, and its remarkably rapid de-
cline as regards those diseases at which
sanitary science more especially aims its
weapons, are achievements which are a
proper source of qualification to the town
council and the officers of the health de-
partment. ~