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1906]
194
stripped, whereas in the following year 1901 only 324 were similarly treated.
The figures, however, rose again in 1902 and 1903 owing to the prevalence of
Small Pox, in the case of which disease it is essential, as the virulence of the
infection is so great, to remove and burn the papers so that there might be no
possibility of it spreading. In the following year, when it had disappeared,
it will be noticed in the subjoined return that the number of rooms
stripped was again small.
Rooms Rooms
Date. stripped. Date. stripped.
1896 - 1,045 *9°1 " 324
1897 - i.°58 !902 - 1,314
1898 - 1,033 1903 - 2,021
1899 - 1,375 1904 - 392
1900 - 1,223 1905 - 552
1906 - 535
The general result has been that a saving was effected by a reduction in
the staff of the disinfectors, in consequence of which the amount expended fell
from £795 in 1900 to £282 in the year 1906.
Disinfection of Schools.—Principally owing to the presence of Measles
in class rooms, disinfection was carried out in the following public elementary
schools:—Vittoria Place ; St. Thomas', Everilda Street; Westbourne Road ;
Newington Green; Gifford Street; Shepperton Road; Gillespie Road;
Pakeman Street; Hanover Street; Holy Trinity; St. Mary Magdalene;
St. Pauls, Dorset Street; and Hargrave Park.
Verminous Premises.—In seven instances the disinfection of verminous
premises was undertaken by the Public Health Department, but the rule has
been to serve a notice on the owner under the provision of the London County
Council General Powers Act, 1904, to execute the necessary work. In some
instances it has been found most difficult to get rid of these pests and their
destruction has, therefore, proved a costly matter for the owners.
It has generally been found that where they exist in greatest numbers the
papers on the walls are most numerous. This should be a lesson to
landlords to strip the walls of their rooms when they are about to re-paper
them, because there is no better breeding place than in the layers of many
papers, where there also is found a proportionate amount of paste on which
it is said bugs live, thrive, and propagate their species.