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19
Some countries allow the import of clothing if accompanied, by
a certificate stating that no case of infectious disease has occurred
at the sender's address within twenty-one days prior to mailings During
the year, one such certificate was issued-
H.C.N, Disinfestation
For many years, the Council adopted the policy of disinfesting
with H.C.N.the furniture and household effects of all tenants moving to new
Council property, as a method of preventing bed bugs being taken from old
houses into the new dwellings.
There has been considerable reduction in the number of bug
infested houses in the borough, no doubt due to the introduction of new and
effective insecticides such as D.D.T, and, from the beginning of 1954»
the Council decided to discontinue the policy of treating the furniture
of all incoming tenants, irrespective of whether there was evidence of
infestation or not, and substitute the following scheme :-
(a) A public health inspector examines the furniture
and home of each prospective tenant;
(b) If bug infestation is present, the furniture
is dealt with by H.C.N. at the disinfecting station.
(c) If no infestation is apparent, no action is
taken in regard to the furniture, but the walls and
ducts of new flats are treated with D.D.T. or
Gammexane smoke preparations.
(d) The inspector re-visits the flat after a
period of six months, and takes appropriate action
if the flat is found to have become infested.
During 1957, thirty-four new flats, which became ready for
occupation, were treated with Gammexane smoke generators before being
occupiedo The furniture, etc. of the families selected to move into these
flats were inspected. With two exceptions every case was found to be free
from vermin and the tenants were allowed to move directly into their new
homes. In the two infested cases, the furniture was taken to the Council's
disinfecting station and treated with H.C.N. before being moved into the
new accommodation.
In addition to the above cases, the furniture of fourteen
other families, selected to move into vacated Council flats (or conversions)
was found to be infested and was treated with H.C..N. at the disinfecting
station.
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,
Fisheries and Food pay a grant of 50% of the approved net expenditure
incurredo The Council 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 from the
owners.
The Council are required to submit reports on (i) 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.
The Minister has requested a report for the year ended 31st
March, 1958, and the following table gives the details for this period s:-