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87
VERMIN IN RELATION TO HOUSING.
Following the enquiries made in pursuance of
my report last year a first experiment was made in the
Borough in 1935 in the use of hydrocyanic acid gas in
the wholesale destruction of vermin. Arrangements
were made to disinfect by this process the furniture of
all the 40 tenants removing from old houses on the
Digby Street and Martha Court areas into the
Councils's new tenements in Butler Street. With the
exception of the bedding which was treated in
the Council's steam disinfecting machines, the work
was carried out by a firm of fumigation contractors
and, with minor difficulties, was satisfactorily completed.
Afterwards the vacated houses were treated
by the Council's own staff with Orthodichlorbenzene
with a view to destroying the vermin left in the timber
and walls. Unfortunately in the short lapse of
time between their vacation and the carrying out of
this proeess the houses had been damaged by unauthorised
persons : some of the timber had been
removed and effective disinfestation of the houses
was rendered somewhat difficult. This, however,
was eventually carried out. Some complaint was
made in the vicinity of the treated houses as to
the smell of the Orthodichlorbenzene, but under
normal conditions where liquid is sprayed in sealed
rooms there should not be any nuisance from this
cause.
Later in the year, at the request of the Public
Health Committee I reported fully on the question
of disinfestation in general, when it was resolved that
further measures should be taken in 1936 to ensure
that the furniture of all incoming tenants to the
Council's estates should be free from bugs and also to
deal with infestation in private dwelling houses.
Arrangements are being made to enlist the co-operation
of landlords and tenants and it is hoped that a concerted
effort will considerably diminish this serious
hindrance to comfort, amenity and health.