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9
TREATMENT AND BATHING CENTRE
(Superintendent—Mr. T. Lloyd T.D.)
The Centre's laundry was rebuilt and modern laundry machinery
was installed during the early part of the year. In June, a laundry
service was commenced to deal with the bedding and clothing of
sick and old people coming within the scope of section 122 of the
Public Health Act. There is no doubt that this service is of
considerable assistance, and solves a serious problem for many
old people.
The number of School children requiring treatment for vermin
infestation decreased by 8% on last year's figures, but this
decrease was offset by a considerable rise in the number of
treatments given to adult persons of both sexes.
In the case of male adult persons, the increase occurred in the
numbers that were sent from the various lodging houses in the
Borough and would appear to indicate that a strict supervision of
their lodgers is being maintained in these places. Normally, we
are now informed by the Lodging Mouses when an occupant is
being sent for treatment and arrangements are then made for the
collection of bedding and personal effects for disinfestation.
Figures for the disinfestation of vermin in domestic premises
during the year again show a considerable reduction. This
continued decrease in the post-war years of the need for this type
of disinfestation, i.e., bed bug and flea infestations, is without
doubt, due not onlyto a general improvement in housing conditions,
but also to the wide range and efficacy of modern insecticides.
Considerable nuisance during the warmer months, resulted
from infestations of clover mites, (Bryobia praetiosa) in a number
of Council properties adjoining Parks and other spaces where
trees and plants had been recently planted. Although they do no
harm in the house, these minute agricultural pests cause considerable
alarm when they invade premises in their hundreds of
thousands. A number of other Metropolitan Boroughs have
experienced similar infestations of these pests in their Housing
Estates where newly formed gardens have been stocked. It would
appear that the Clover Mite at least, does not object to the
atmospheric conditions of Metropolitan London and, in fact, thrives
when brought in from its more natural rural environment.
A large amount of precautionary disinfestation work has been
carried out during the year. The bedding of 270 families rehoused
by the Borough Council and of 50 families rehoused by
the L.C.C. was treated at the Centre before the families moved
into their new accommodation.