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13
Disinfestation.
The insecticide used to rid dwelling houses of bugs is Kerosene with 5 per cent. D.D.T. and 0.1 per
cent. pyrethrins applied as a spray either by hand or under pressure from a motor compressor, according
to the circumstances. This treatment is also given for flea and similar infestations which occur from
time to time. During the year, 188 rooms were disinfested.
Furniture, more particularly that of people removing to fresh accommodation, is dealt with by
hydrocyanic acid gas in specially constructed vans. The Council continued to have this work done
by a contractor and during 1960 the furniture of 18 families, of whom 16 were being rehoused, was
treated by this method. In addition 278 verminous articles of bedding were disinfested by steam.
A small steam disinfector situated in the cleansing of persons section of Welfare Centre No. 2 is
used for the treatment of all articles up to the size of a single mattress. Arrangements with the Council
of the Royal Borough of Kensington for articles above this size to be steam treated in their plant at
Shepherd's Bush have continued to work most satisfactorily.
Verminous Persons.
The Council's Cleansing Station in Lisson Grove dealt with 652 verminous persons : adults 497
(men, 466 ; women, 31) ; children, 155 (boys, 42 ; girls, 113). The increase would appear to be due
to the closing down of a treatment centre in an adjoining borough.
Shelter.
It was not 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.
Air Pollution.
During the three years before the 31st December, 1956, the date on which certain provisions of
the Clean Air Act, 1956, first came into force, the average annual number of complaints about smoke
was 47, the highest figure being 55 in 1955. Sharp increases during the period 1957 to 1959 resulted
in an annual average for those years of 155, the number of complaints reaching a maximum of 186
in 1959.
Complaints during 1960 totalled 144, eleven less than the recent annual average and forty-two
less than in the previous year. It is hoped that this first reduction in the number of complaints received
annually since the Clean Air Act, 1956, began to operate is an indication that the efforts made to
control the pollution of the atmosphere are meeting with success.
Members of all sections of the community were co-operative and when infringements of the law
were detected or conditions likely to lead to infringements were found, those responsible were generally
willing to do everything possible to abate or prevent nuisance.
During 1,283 casual observations it was necessary to time dark smoke emission on 53 occasions.
There were 12 offences under Section 1 of the Clean Air Act relating to dark smoke, 8 emissions of
smoke from chimneys in Smoke Control Areas contravening Section 11 were observed and there were
28 instances of nuisance by smoke, other than smoke from chimneys constituting an offence under
Section 16. Abatement of the nuisance or attention to the plant, if not being given already, was
secured in most cases forthwith. Offenders were cautioned but in no case did the circumstances
justify legal proceedings.
With the coming into operation on the 1st October, 1960, of the Council's third Smoke Control
Order, affecting Ward No. 1 (Hamilton Terrace), the whole of that part of the Borough north-east
of St. John's Wood Road and Prince Albert Road is within the boundaries of Smoke Control Areas.
During the year a fourth Smoke Control Order in respect of Ward No. 10 (Cavendish Square) was
submitted for approval to the Minister of Housing and Local Government and the survey of a fifth
Area, Ward No. 8 (Portman Square) was commenced.
Notifications of intention to instal new furnaces, as required by Section 3 of the Clean Air Act, were
received in respect of 40 proposals and 10 applications for the Council's approval of the plans and
specifications were received.
The degree of atmospheric pollution was measured continuously at four sites within the Borough
and statistical information was supplied regularly to the Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research. The statistics are detailed in Tables 14, 15 and 16, pages 35 and 36.