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51
Special attention is devoted to toys. One hundred and thirty-seven books
and 58 toys were disinfected.
Cleansing of Persons Act.
During the year 114 persons (90 men and 24 women) infested with vermin
had their bodies and 1,108 articles of clothing disinfected, free of charge, at our
cleansing station (Stukeley Street).
Shelter during Disinfection.
For some years past an arrangement has been in operation with the Council
of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury for accommodation to be provided at
their Reception House, Northampton Road, for residents of this Borough during
the disinfection of their homes after infectious disease. In the year 1938 the
accommodation was used by five Holborn families comprising six persons.
Extermination of Vermin.
The number of Council dwellings found to be infested with vermin was 17
and the number of other dwellings 59, all these were disinfested. The total
number of rooms disinfested was 176. This work was carried out by the Council's
staff.
The usual treatment is by sulphur dioxide generated by burning flowers of
sulphur with 5 per cent. of powdered saltpetre. Six pounds of sulphur is used
to each 1,000 cubic feet, distributed in small tins, each containing ½ lb. to 1 lb.,
in order to give a maximum early concentration of gas.
Before fumigation, wallpapers and lining papers are removed and in some
cases woodwork is stripped. Usually the bedding, if any, is removed at the same
time and treated by steam.
In some cases, where fumigation is impracticable or undesirable, the room
and its contents are sprayed with a 5 per cent. solution of "Lethane" in an
odourless distillate of petroleum. This spraying is also used as an adjunct to the
normal method of fumigation, especially to such things as bedsteads.
In dealing with verminous rooms, the fumigation is repeated, whenever
practicable, at the end of twelve to sixteen days, by which time it is expected that
any eggs of bugs will have hatched out; a single fumigation of any severely
infested room cannot be regarded as satisfactory. In 23 cases last year this
second fumigation was carried out. When this course was for any reason
impracticable, the occupiers of the rooms were advised to use a disinfecting spray,
and to take such other measures as appeared likely to prevent recurrence of the
infestation.
From time to time in recent years it has become necessary to deal with vermin
infestation in new or comparatively new dwellings. It is found that usually the
infestation arises from infested furniture brought by the incoming tenants into
the new dwellings from verminous rooms formerly occupied by them. To prevent
risk of such infestation, particularly in regard to new occupations of municipal
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