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10
Disinfection and Disinfestation
A summary of the routine work of the disinfecting staff
is shown in the following table
Houses disinfected after infectious disease 386 ( 573 rooms)
Houses disinfested after vermin 679 (1271 rooms)
Loads of furniture treated with hydrogen
cyanide 251
Total weight of furniture, bedding, etc. dealt with:-
266 tons 0 cwt. 0 qtrs. 13 lb.
During the year, 165 new Council flats became ready for
occupation, and the furniture of the ingoing tenants was
treated with H.C.N.
It is the practice of certain foreign countries to
prohibit the import of parcels of clothing, unless accompanied
with a certificate that the articles have been disinfected.
The Council afford facilities to persons desirous of sending
clothing abroad, but make a charge of 2/6d. for each
certificate provided. During the year, 423 parcels of clothing
were disinfected and the income amounted to £52. 17s. 6d.
The following table indicates the destination of these parcels:-
No. of parcels
Hungary 279
Czechoslovakia 47
Russia 6
Argentine 4
Esthonia 1
Jugoslavia 1
+ Unknown 85
+ All these parcels were dealt with by one Kensington
firm of exporters.
Prevention of Damage by Pests
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949, imposes a
duty on occupiers of premises to notify the Council of rodent
infestation, and the Council are required to ensure that
the borough is, as far as practicable, kept free from rats
and mice. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries continue
to pay a grant of 50% of the approved net expenditure incurred.
The Council have agreed to deal with rat and mice infestation
in dwelling houses without cost to the occupiers, but expenditure
incurred in treating infestations on commercial and industrial
premises is recovered.
The Council are required to submit reports on (1) the
extent of infestation, (ii) special circumstances to which
any undue presence of rats and mice might be attributed and
(iii) the nature and extent of co-operative working with
contiguous local authorities.
So far, such reports have dealt with work carried out in
each calender year, but the Minister has requested that the
report for 1953, should be extended to cover the fifteen months
period ended 31st March, 1954. The following is the report
submitted for this period:-