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Hydrogen Cyanide (Fumigation of Buildings)
Regulations, 1938-came into force on the 1st
February, 1939. Seven certificates of fumigation
and clearance were received according to the
Regulations.
According to a letter from the Home Office,
representation had been made urging "that the above
regulations were not working satisfactorily and
were in need of amendment. The following
observations were submitted to the Home Office
with the opinion that the Regulations cannot, at
any rate, be considered too stringent:-
(1) A house in a terrace of six houses was
fumigated. The occupier of the house
adjacent to that one which was fumigated,
I understand, entered his house when the
fumigation was actually taking place.
(2) A house in a terrace of six houses was
fumigated. In this case I was informed
that one of the tenants in the risk area"
had intimated that he was not going to
move out of his house.
(3) Regarding another notice of intention to
fumigate, I had to bring to the notice of
the fumigator that in the wall between the
loft of the house and the one adjacent to
it, there were some three or four loose
bricks which could easily allow the
penetration of gas. This house was also
in a terrace of occupied houses and, again,
an occupier in the risk area seemed to be
undecided regarding vacating her house and
handing over the keys. This house was
not fumigated, but I cannot help thinking
that the fumigators themselves might have
found out all that I was able to bring to
their notice prior to making arrangements
so far as to send me notice of intention
to fumigate.
11.