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38
General Observations.
The Council now possesses 1,740 houses.
During the course of the year much difficulty has arisen not
only within Enfield, but throughout the Country, in connection
with the condition of Council houses. Large numbers of them
have been found to become infested with vermin within a short
time of their occupation, whilst generally there are many houses
which are not being kept by their tenants in the condition that the
Council has a right to expect.
The question of verminous houses is one which needs very
careful consideration.
During the course of the year my Department was asked
to examine 151 houses which had become vacant, and to report
how many of them were infested with vermin ; 59 such houses
were found to be verminous.
It must te realised at the outset that the ordinary methods
that have been taken so far to disinfest houses are unsatisfactory.
The full appreciation of the life history of the bug is essential
if this problem is to be tackled on proper lines.
The bug is an extremely active and knowledgeable individual.
It is capable of judging the time it will take to leave its hiding
place, attack an individual and return to its home during the hours
of darkness, and to plan its route accordingly.
Investigation has proved, moreover, that the bug is capable
of living for many months without food. It thus becomes obvious
that leaving a house vacant does not in itself starve out bugs,
unless the term of vacancy is for a very considerable length of time.
The present methods of disinfestation, whilst succeeding
in killing live bugs, have little effect upon the eggs. The result
is that though the house may be apparently free from vermin
due to disinfestation after the vacation of the previous tenant,
when the house becomes once more occupied and fires are lit and
the house becomes warm, the eggs hatch out and the new occupant
gets attacked by bugs and finds his house verminous.
This is one way in which new tenants sometimes find themselves
in infested houses despite the fact that it has been disinfested
prior to their entry.
On the other hand there seems to be but little doubt that
some tenants bring bugs with them to a brand-new Council house.