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
Poplar 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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58
Eradication of Bed Bugs.
The Public Health Committee considered correspondence which had
been received from the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee
and also a Memorandum of the London County Council regarding the
general question of infestation by vermin.
In adopting the Medical Officer of Health's report upon these
documents, the Committee definitely disagreed with the use of HCN gas
for fumigation of houses—whether single houses, in rows, or block
dwellings.
(The report is printed as an Appendix on page 141.)
Summary of the Work done by the Special Inspectors for Disinfestation .
| Premises Inspected. | Council Properties. | Private Properties. |
|---|---|---|
| Number of premises reported to Public Health | ||
| Committee (P. H. (L.) A., 1936) | — | 381 |
| Number of premises found to be infested | 121 | 663 |
| Number of premises disinfested | 115 | 663 |
| Number of premises inspected | 384 | 913 |
| Number of premises re-inspected after disinfestation | 35 | 687 |
| Miscellaneous visits and calls | 2,415 | 805 |
| Total numbers of visits | 2,834 | 2,405 |
| Fumigations to 109 Council tenements | 243 | — |
| ,, to 480 private tenements | - | 797 |
| Sprayings to 6 Council tenements | 36 | - |
| ,, to 183 private tenements | - | 849 |
| Total treatments | 279 | 1,646 |
| Number of rooms to which treatments were | ||
| applied | 778 | 1,060 |