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104
After verminous cases 128
Vacated Council houses 86
591
Rooms stripped and re-papered, etc., after occupation
by cases of infectious disease 29
Ditto, ditto, by cases of Phthisis 2
Articles of clothing, bedding, etc., disinfected 1,336
Ditto, ditto, destroyed 153
Library Books disinfected 118
No. of Certificates issued re disinfection of clothing
and premises 15
Number of Schools disinfected 2
Private Patients removed to Hospital or Infirmary 3,432
Gipsy Vans removed from District 14
Articles or parcels of unsound food destroyed or
otherwise disposed of 657
86 vacated Council houses were disinfected during the year.
Of these, 33 showed signs of vermin—38 per cent. of the total.
It is a decision of the Council that before an occupier may
transfer from one Council house to another, the person wishing to
be transferred must, on inspection, be found to be occupying a house
free from vermin.
DISINFESTATION OF VERMINOUS HOUSES.
It has been the experience of the Department during the past
year in dealing with the question of verminous houses to find that
the problem is still one very difficult of solution. Visits have been
paid to other districts to try to ascertain if they have a more
effective way of dealing with the problem, but I am sorry to say
I have not yet been able to find an effective method of dealing with
bugs without some risk to either those using the particular preparation
or the occupiers of the house or adjoining houses.
The great point still seems to be that cleanliness to the extreme
on the part of the occupier is the best solution of the matter. If it
could be certain that all furniture and effects, as well as the clothing
of the people were absolutely free from vermin when taking a Council
house we should be a long way towards a good solution of the problem.
It is, however, found that people are not too ready to
acknowledge the presence of vermin in rooms or houses occupied
by them previous to moving into a Council house. On the one hand,
it is because they consider themselves regarded as unclean, and
secondly there is the fear that they will not be granted the tenancy
of a Council house.