London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of Westminster 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
This page requires JavaScript
90
all to 2,098 articles. Children from the above-mentioned boroughs treated
for similar conditions were as follows : 191 for head lice and 18 for scabies..
The total number of attendances of school children for baths at the
disinfecting station was 1,121. Articles of clothing disinfected numbered
1,170. Notices from the London County Council in respect of verminous
children numbered 29 and 55 visits of inspection were paid to the families
concerned.
The following table shows the total number of individuals treated at the station for verminous conditions:— Table LXXII.—Cleansing of Verminous Persons.
| 1936. | Head lice. | Body lice. | Scabies. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children (including those under school age). | 630 | 4 | 78 | 712 |
| Adults | 2 | 225 | 81 | 308 |
| 632 | 229 | 159 | 1,020 |
Eradication of bed bugs.—The Ministry of Health in Circular 1561
ask for information as to the action taken during the year for the eradication
of bed bugs, including particulars of the number of Council and other
houses found to be infested, the methods employed for disinfesting
houses, and for ensuring that the belongings of tenants are free from
vermin before removal to Council houses.
Infested Houses.—The number of Council houses (flats) found to be
infested was 115 and of other houses 388. All were disinfested, the
work in the case of the Council houses being carried out by the Council's
own staff and in the others by the private owners or occupiers.
Methods for disinfesting houses.—The methods in use for disinfesting
flats in the Council's dwellings include fumigation by sulphur, the removal
of woodwork and other projections on the walls, and the application of
a blow lamp to all angles and crevices in the walls, etc. ; walls and floors
are washed with a liquid soap containing a strong solution of ammonia.
This treatment is followed by the complete painting or repainting of
all walls and woodwork in the flat.
These methods have been found to be effective in freeing infested
flats and in preventing re-infestation.