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Having regard to this report, and being advised that no special difficulties were anticipated in enforcing
any reasonable bye-laws, the Council informed the Standing Joint Committee that they were in favour
of steps being taken to obtain the suggested powers.
Diseased or Infirm Persons.—In no case was it necessary to make application to Court, under the
National Assistance Acts, 1948 and 1951, for an Order authorising the removal of an infirm person
to hospital or other suitable place.
Burial or Cremation of the Dead.—Under the provisions of section 50 of the National Assistance Act,
1948, it is a duty of the Council to cause to be buried or cremated the body of any person who has died
or been found dead in the Borough where no other suitable arrangements for disposal of the body have
been or are being made. The arrangements set up when the section became operative on the 5th July,
1948, continued to work satisfactorily and during 1952 the burial of 19 bodies was undertaken by
the Council. The total expenditure incurred in dealing with these cases was £358 Is. Id., of which
£126 7s. 8d. had been recovered by the end of the year.
Disinfestation.—During 1952, 459 dwellings, involving 730 rooms, were disinfested by an insecticide
based on D.D.T. Included in the number of dwellings treated were 73 requisitioned premises and 13
municipal flats where bugs were found. Altogether 133 requisitioned dwellings were, on becoming
vacant, inspected to ascertain if they were vermin infested.
As already reported, a campaign against the bed-bug was launched in July, 1948, and Table 5
gives statistics covering the four months July—October (when bugs are in their most active state)
for the past five years.

Erom this it will be seen that, compared with 1950 and 1951, there was a reduction in the number
of rooms infested in 1952 of approximately 25 per cent., whilst the comparison with 1949 indicates
rather more than a 50 per cent, decrease. These figures are regarded as being highly promising and
provide ample justification for continuing the scheme in order that even better results may be achieved.
Treatment of verminous furniture by hydrocyanic acid gas in specially constructed vans, which has
been carried out under contract by the Council for many years, has been continued, more particularly
in the case of removals to fresh housing accommodation. In 1952 the furniture of 94 families (of whom
79 were being rehoused) was dealt with by this method. In addition, 6,803 verminous articles of
bedding were disinfested by steam.
Verminous Persons.—The Council's Cleansing Station in Lisson Grove dealt with 1,116 verminous
persons : adults 609 (men 558, women 51); children 507 (boys 86, girls 421).
Shelter.—It was not found necessary during the year to make use of the shelter accommodation
provided at No. 217, Lisson Grove, under section 195 (4) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936,
for families temporarily dispossessed of their homes. The room set aside for this purpose was, however,
utilised for other public health work.