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complaints of nuisances caused by pigeons, visited some 5 sets of premises
on complaint and advised owners or occupiers as to measures necessary
to prevent pigeons roosting or nesting on or about their property.
On being satisfied that congregations of pigeons without owners were
causing nuisance in various parts of the City, the Council arranged for
a reduction in their number totalling 750 throughout the year.
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, Sec. 224.—Removal of Infirm and
Diseased Persons to Suitable Institutions.
Seventeen cases of elderly persons living alone and unable to devote
to themselves proper care and attention came to the notice of the
department during the year, but in none was it found necessary to invoke
the compulsory powers contained in the Act. In one case the Public
Health Committee authorised application being made to the Court
for an Order for the removal of an elderly woman in a poor state of health
and living in a single room in dirty and verminous conditions, but
persuasion on the part of the Council's officers and the Relieving Officer
was eventually effective in securing her removal to hospital.
Disinfection.—Disinfection of rooms from which patients suffering from
notifiable infectious disease have been removed is carried out by means
of the formaldehyde spray. For non-notifiable infectious and other
conditions disinfection is carried out on request, and a charge is made
according to the circumstances of the case.
Bedding and wearing apparel are removed to the disinfecting
station for treatment by steam disinfection. Books are treated with
formalin.
The cleansing of persons and disinfection of their clothing, etc., are
carried out by the disinfecting staff. Individuals, numbering 261 men,
47 women, and 22 children (under school age) were given medicated
baths at the disinfecting station, making 491 attendances, and 8,355
articles of clothing, bedding, etc., were disinfected. Visits to premises
for vermin numbered 59.
Under an agreement with the London County Council, school children
from the boroughs of Battersea, Camberwell, Chelsea, Fulham, Holborn,
Lambeth, St. Pancras, St. Marylebone, Stoke Newington and Wandsworth
attended for treatment at the disinfecting station.
Among Westminster school children 439 cases of head lice, 4 of body
lice, and 38 of scabies were treated. In all cases the clothing was
disinfected, together with the bedding from their homes, amounting in