London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Finsbury 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finsbury Borough]
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The general procedure is to spray with a 5% solution of D.D.T. or
other insecticide and to give a follow-up treatment some 14 days later
if necessary. Where bedding is found to be badly infested it is
removed to the Health Centre for treatment in the steam disinfector.
During the past year only two serious infestations have been
discovered - one of cockroaches and one of Dermestes lardarius (Bacon
Beetles). The latter offered a good deal of resistence to treatment,
but after flooring boardshad been lifted and all rubbish and debris,
including some old rat nesting, removed, a complete coverage was made
with 10% D.D.T. powder which proved to be effective.
Clearance Schemes in operation locally have done much to reduce
bedbug infestations, and in connection with the re-housing of the
families so affected it has been the practice to spray their furniture
and effects shortly before removal, or in certain cases to have them
fumigated in transit.
Section 122 of the Public Health (London) Act 1936 enables the
Council on a report from the Medical Officer of Health to cause to be
cleansed, disinfected or destroyed, any article in a house which has
become verminous, filthy, dangerous or in an unwholesome condition, so
that health is affected. During 1962 47 such representations were made
and spraying was carried out before any article was removed.
Disinfestation has covered a wide range of pests and during 1962-335 premises were treated which include the following:-
| Bed Bug | 118 |
| Cockroaches | 9 |
| Beetles (various) | 29 |
| Fleas | 10 |
| Flies | 7 |
| Ants | 13 |
Routine spraying was also carried out at 86 Council properties which
for some reason had become vacant.
SCABIES AND OTHER VERMINOUS CONDITIONS:
The Borough Council continued the operation of the Bathing Centre
in the Health Centre for the treatment of verminous conditions,including
Scabies.
Arrangements were also continued for the treatment of cases on
behalf of the Shoreditch Borough Council.
The Bathing Centre also undertook the work of the Holborn Bathing
Centre for the period 1st January 1962 until 31st March 1962, whilst the
Holborn Bathing Centre was being modernised. The Holborn Borough Council
provided the transport and extra staff necessary for this work to be
undertaken.
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