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23
Treatment and Bathing Centre
The total number of verminous male persons treated at the
Bathing Station during 1953, shows an increase over last year
viz. 1,075 this year against 978 in 1952. This increase may be
due to greater co-operation now shown by Hostel and Lodging
House keepers in refusing re-admittance to verminous persons
until they produce evidence of having attended the Bathing
Station for treatment.
A reduction is shown in the numbers of School children
requiring treatment—mainly for verminous heads. Some of
this reduction may be attributed to the fact that, early in the
year, the homes of persistently verminous children were visited.
The object of these home visits was to encourage mothers to
make appointments to attend the Treatment Centre with all
their children as a family unit. With a few exceptions, most
mothers were co-operative, and 58 families did in fact attend.
No child of 25 of these families has, as far as can be known,
since required treatment.
Two heavy insect infestations have been dealt with during
the year. In one instance, "German" cockroaches (Blattella
germanica), breeding in a large stack of waste paper, infested
a terrace of houses, the small yards of which adjoined the
premises where the paper was stored.
The other heavy infestation, one of "Book Lice" (Psocids)
occurred in a stock of sugar-beet seeds stored in a warehouse.
The infestation spread to the adjoining premises, a block of
tenements.
Whilst there were fewer verminous and infected premises
sprayed, there was a very heavy increase in the quantity of
verminous and infected articles treated.
Sixteen demonstrations of the work carried out at and from
the station were given to a total of 143 students—mostly trainee
nurses, health visitors and some medical students.