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10
Disinfection and Disinfestation
The following is a record of the work carried out by the Disinfecting
Staff during 1948 :—
Number of houses or parts of houses and contents disinfected 724
Number of verminous rooms disinfested 291
Aged and Infirm Persons
No case arose which necessitated the use of powers under the Public
Health (London) Act, 1936, or the National Assistance Act, 1948, to
secure the removal of an aged or infirm person.
Cleansing and Disinfection of Verminous Persons
and their Belongings
The following cleansings and medicinal baths were carried out at
the Borough Council Cleansing Centre, during the year, where 45 adults
and 28 children received treatment :—
Verminous conditions :—
Adults 15
Children under 5 8
Children over 5 7
Scabies :—
Adults 90
Children under 5 15
Children over 5 9
During the year, 291 verminous rooms in 142 houses were cleansed
and freed from vermin.
Thirty-six cases of scabies were notified during the year. These
were investigated by the Health Visitors and, where necessary, treatment
arranged at the Public Health Station.
During the year, the following treatments were carried out at the
Centre by staff of the London County Council:—
Verminous conditions :—
No. of school children treated 54
No. of treatments given 79
No. of pre-school children treated
No. of treatments given
Scabies :—
No. of school children treated 9
No. of treatments given 27
No. of pre-school children treated 3
No. of treatments given 9
The Scabies Order, 1941, which was introduced as a war-time measure,
expired on 31st December, 1947, and reliance is now placed on the Public
Health (London) Act, 1936, for dealing with verminous conditions.
Since the war, however, there has been a great decrease in the
number of cases notified, i.e.,
1945 196
1946 197
1947 88
1948 36
and no difficulty has been experienced in the treatment and investigation
of cases.