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86 houses which had been vacated, and of these 33, or 38 per cent.,
were found to be verminous and had to be disinfested.
This proportion, viz., 38 per cent., has been constant for the
past three years, but I am unable to say whether this figure could
be applied to the Council estates generally ; it is possible that the
figure for the occupied houses is not so high as that for those that
have been vacated.
It has been suggested that whereas figures are obtained concerning
verminous conditions of Council houses, such figures are
not shewn for other property situated within the District, and in this
respect Council tenants have tended to feel that some slight has been
cast upon them. The fact is, that short of a general inspection of
all the property of the District, it is impossible to give comparative
figures, and it is only in the case of vacated Council houses that
these figures are available.
No slight is intended upon the Council tenants, and it is the
object of the Department to help the tenants to rid their houses of
vermin and to give such aid and scientific advice as is available.
I am sincerely hoping that some new preparation may soon be
discovered that will enable disinfestation to be carried our very
easily and without considerable removal of the woodwork of the
premises.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
MILK.
Dr. Tate, the Medical Officer of Health for the County, has
supplied me with the following report on the inspection of cows in
the Enfield district during the year under the Milk and Dairies
(Consolidation) Act, 1915, and the Tuberculosis Order, 1925.
MILK AND DAIRIES (CONSOLIDATION)
ACT, 1915.
TUBERCULOSIS ORDER, 1925.
During the year 1934 fifty-four samples of milk were taken
from retailers in the District. These samples were submitted to
the Lister Institute for animal inoculation tests for the presence of
tubercle bacilli. One of these samples was found to contain living
tubercle bacilli, was traced to a farm in Enfield, and the offending
animal was discovered and slaughtered.
Four cows were reported by owners as suspected to be suffering
from tuberculosis. On examination one of this number was found