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97
In regard to premises, the Council, wherever necessary, enforce
their statutory powers to require the destruction of vermin, and they
have for years undertaken at the request of the owners, to disinfest
dwelling-houses which were badly infested without charge, provided
the preliminary work of preparation, such as the stripping of walls,
&c., was first carried out.
During 1938, 358 premises were so disinfested, 96 of these
being dwellings on the Council's own estates. The substances used
for the purpose are sulphur dioxide and a proprietary preparation
known as Solution D.
With regard to goods it has been the custom for some years
for verminous goods to be disinfested in situ while the rooms are
being done, but when necessary they are removed and dealt with
separately. The question of verminous furniture entering the
Council's own estates was further considered by the responsible
Committees, and it was decided that in the case of all families
moving from clearance areas, disinfestation of the furniture should
be carried out before it entered the new dwelling. This requirement
was also to apply to other tenants whose furniture was known
to be verminous. It became necessary, therefore, in the latter case,
to inspect the home of the new tenant, and as a corollary the
premises to which he was removing.
From 23rd May, when this system came into force, 84 premises
on the Council's estates became empty, and before re-letting were
inspected. Twenty-two, or 26 per cent. of them were found to be
verminous, 6 only slightly. Ten remained unoccupied at 31st
December.
The furniture of 74 incoming tenants was inspected—41 already
living on the estates (of which 1 was verminous), and 33 elsewhere
(of which 20 were verminous). In these 21 cases the furniture was
disinfested.
A building near the Disinfecting Station has been specially
adapted for the purpose of the disinfestation of furniture, sulphur
dioxide being the fumigant used. Bedding and household linen,
however, are passed through the steam chamber at the disinfecting
station.
A contract was entered into with a local furniture remover
to take the infested goods to the special chamber provided for the
purpose, and on the following day, after it had been disinfested, to
the new dwelling. The vans are themselves disinfested after
delivery to the chamber.
The London County Council made an enquiry as to the terms
upon which the Council would undertake the disinfestation in transit
of furniture of new tenants of their housing estates. They were
informed that the Council would undertake the work provided the
County Council bore the whole cost.
After disinfestation of any of the Council's flats, the tenant is
advised how to keep his home free from vermin in future, and is
occasionally visited to see that re-infestation has not occurred.