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8
Sanitary Circumstances

Scabies and Vermin.—The number of baths given to persons
suffering from scabies during the year was 3,778 (1,702 adults and
2,076 children).
The number of treatments given for other verminous conditions
was 2,273 (120 adults; 2,153 children).
Head Lice. —It has been the practice for many years to refer
to the Personal Cleansing Station all cases of head lice discovered
by the staff during home visiting, at the Welfare Centres, or at
Day Nurseries.
2,100 children referred by the school medical service were
treated for head lice.
Legal proceedings to enforce various requirements or for the
recovery of penalties incurred by the breach of statutory requirements
were taken in 62 instances; fines were inflicted amounting to
£37 12s. 6d. and costs to £42.
Factories and Homework.—The number of factories'in which
mechanical means are used increased by 1 to 254, and of nonmechanical
factories remained at 108. Inspections of these premises
numbered 341. The number of homeworkers increased by 12 to 61.
Bakehouses numbered 40 at the end of the year, 10 of which
are underground bakehouses. One of the 40 premises does not
rank as a factory since only the proprietor works on the premises.
48 inspections of bakehouses were made during 1946.
Rats and Mice Destruction.—ln addition to the usual work
carried out under the Rats and Mice Destruction Act maintenance
treatment for rats in sewers was carried out on two occasions during
the year. This treatment involved the baiting of 1,565 manholes
on each occasion. The results obtained were very satisfactory.
Protection of the Food Supply.—1,l99 samples (of which 600
were informally taken) were analysed by the Public Analyst. Of
these 16 (7 informal) were certified to be adulterated, which gives
a percentage of adulteration of 1.3.