17. Place of disinfection may be provided

Every local authority may provide a proper place or places with all necessary apparatus and attendance for the disinfection, for a reasonable fee to be fixed by the local authority in that behalf, of clothing, bedding or other articles which have become infected, and the health officer may in his discretion cause articles brought for disinfection to be disinfected free of charge.

The health officer may direct the disinfection, disinsectisation or destruction of bedding, clothing or other articles likely to retain infection, and may, subject to the sanction of the local authority, give compensation out of the funds of the local authority for the articles destroyed where in his opinion the owners thereof are unable through poverty to bear the loss.

The local authority may, if the health officer certifies in writing that any building is infected, and is of such construction or material as to be incapable of disinfection except by destruction, destroy such building, but such local authority shall pay the owner of the building compensation for the destruction.