Clothes fumigation at Coldbath Fields Prison
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Clothes fumigation at Coldbath Fields Prison
Prisoners clothes being fumigated in a heated cabinet at Coldbath Fields Prison, Clerkenwell. Date: 1862
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Media ID 7178733
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10512931
Cabinet Clerkenwell Coldbath Fields Heated Pauper Prison Prisoners Workhouse
EDITORS COMMENTS
1. Title: "A Sanitized Start: Clothes Fumigation at Coldbath Fields Prison, 1862" In the heart of Clerkenwell, London, at Coldbath Fields Prison, the daily grind of prison life continued in 1862. Amidst the cold, damp cells and the monotonous routine, there was an essential yet often overlooked process that aimed to maintain hygiene and prevent the spread of diseases - clothes fumigation. The image captures a scene of prisoners' clothes being treated in a heated cabinet, a common method used during that era to disinfect textiles. The cabinet, with its iron frame and glass doors, was a testament to the ingenuity of the time, designed to effectively kill pests and bacteria that could thrive in the unsanitary conditions of the prison. The pauper prisoners, who formed the majority of the inmate population, were often clad in tattered and worn-out clothes. The fumigation process was crucial in ensuring their clothes were not only clean but also disease-free. The clothes were carefully placed in the heated cabinet, where they would be exposed to the fumes of various disinfectants, such as sulphur or tar. The process was not only for the prisoners' benefit but also for the health and safety of the prison staff and the wider community. Coldbath Fields Prison, like many institutions of its time, was a breeding ground for diseases, and the fumigation of clothes was a small yet significant step towards maintaining public health. The scene in the photograph is a poignant reminder of the daily struggles and realities faced by those incarcerated in the workhouses and prisons of the Victorian era. It underscores the importance of hygiene and sanitation, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
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