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49
Arrangements were made with the Kensington Borough Council for removal
to their depot of furiture and effects from these flats, and there to treat all articles
other than bedding, which is separately disinfected by steam, with hydrogen
cyanide gas.
In all 370 flats were examined during the year, 714 rooms in 211 different
flats being found to contain vermin. At first only infested articles were removed
for cyanide treament, but later in the year so many re-infestations were reported
that the policy was adopted of clearing and treating the entire contents of each flat
dealt with. The occupants having gone to temporary accomodation, and all covermouldings
eased, an insecticide was then brought into use on the flat itself.
Although disinfestation in these cases has not been entirely successful, owing to
the difficulty, with the insecticides at our disposal, of ridding the structure of the
flat completely from bugs, a very great improvement has been effected, this, with
the careful following-up by Miss Sharp, who has acquired a very great influence
with the tenants, should at least be maintained.
During the month of December sixty-three families were removed to flats on
the London County Council's Estate. As a precaution against introducing bugs
and causing infestation, the whole of the furniture was in every case treated with
hydrogen cyanide gas before the tenants were transferred.
In tenement houses some 325 verminous rooms were discovered. These were
all spray-treated by the Council's staff with quite good results, although complete
disinfestation is practically impossible in premises of this class, that are generally
old structures. In all cases tenants have been taught to use insecticide and to
apply it by means of a spray or brush to cracks in furniture and other places likely
to harbour vermin. Fluid for this purpose, generally, is supplied free of charge by
the Council and every endevour being made to bring about a higher standard of
cleanliness and encourage the destruction of vermin.
CLEANSING OF VERMINOUS PERSONS.
The numbers of Adults and School Children using the Baths originally provided
under the Cleansing of Persons Act, 1897, during the year 1935 were 2,730 and
2,898 respectively.