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31
Disinfection and Disinfestation.
The Council having decided to renew the boiler and disinfecting plant at the
Disinfecting Station, the work normally carried out by this Council, including the
treatment of scabies and other verminous conditions, was temporarily transferred to
the Finsbury Health Centre during December.
Thanks are due to the Finsbury Borough Council, through the good offices of
its Medical Officer of Health, for its valuable assistance in permitting Islington cases
to be treated and disinfection and disinfestation of articles to be carried out at
Finsbury.
663 rooms were disinfected after cases of infectious or other disease.
A total of 1,163 rooms were treated for vermin, of which 389 were disinfested
free of charge. The majority of free cases were on behalf of elderly or infirm
persons. The Council make a charge of 7/6d. for the first room and 5/-d. for every
additional room treated for verminous conditions. The furniture and bedding of
families moving to new Council dwellings were treated in situ with a preparation of
D.D.T. before removal and again when families took up residence in the new accommodation.
The effects of 443 families were so treated as a precautionary measure.
In addition, six treatments for flies were carried out on static water tanks, bombed
sites, etc.
The Sanitary Inspector paid 134 visits to a factory to supervise the treatment
of 720 bales of stockings or other materials for export to South Africa.
Steam Disinfection.
56,174 articles of clothing or bedding were subjected to steam disinfection at
the Disinfecting Station (42,130 for clothing contractors).
Static water tanks, air-raid shelters, bombed sites, etc.
The Department continued to receive complaints concerning the tipping of
refuse, accumulation of water and other nuisances in respect of static water tanks on
bombed or vacant sites. Organic and other refuse, such as bedding, etc., was
removed by the Cleansing Superintendent upon requests forwarded by this Depart'
ment. The co-operation of the London Fire Brigade continued to be available to
pump out stagnant water from static water tanks.
In accordance with arrangements made with the London County Council the
Borough Engineer is authorised, on behalf of the Council, to proceed with the
clearance of rubble from static water tanks, the cost being met by the London
County Council who, in turn, claims grant thereon from the Home Office. The
initiation of action for cleaning the tanks rests with the Borough Council.