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120
Since the shortage of new houses in the Borough is acute, relief of overcrowding
is a very difficult question. Facilities are, of course, given by the London County
Council, to many of these tenants for transfer to one of the Council's estates outside
the metropolitan area. Such efforts, however, do not always solve the problem,
since many of the inhabitants of the Borough reside there for some particular reason,
i.e., proximity to their workplace, and transfer to an estate at some distance from
Shoreditch means an increased outlay on travelling expenses.
During the year 1934, 210 cases of overcrowding were abated as a result of
enquiry and action by the sanitary staff, and in some cases as a result of a report
to the Housing Committee. The London County Council accommodated 56 of
these families, and in the other 154 instances the accommodation was obtained from
other sources. In addition to these cases, 222 other families were accommodated,
in 23 cases on the grounds of special hardship and 18 as a result of representations
made to the London County Council with regard to the health of certain members
of the family. The Shoreditch Housing Association, which opened in November,
1934, a new block of flats—Shakespeare House, in Hackney—accommodated 22
Shoreditch families before the end of the year. Three of these were on account of
overcrowding.
Verminous Houses.
The problem of infestation, mainly with bugs, is undoubtedly bound up with
the problem of old houses and overcrowding. Various surveys have been carried
out in other parts of the country, and these show that practically all slum houses
are to a certain extent infested. During the early winter of 1934-35, the writer
carried out a personal investigation to determine to what extent infestation existed
in Shoreditch. The results were illuminating. In a number of houses gross infestation
was present. More important, however, was the fact that 75 to 80 per cent, of
the houses were not altogether free from vermin. In many of these cases the evidence
of infestation, although definite, was slight, and it was usually found that the
condition was not more marked owing to the continued care and attention of the
housewife. In other words, such houses can be freed from bugs, but only by extreme
care and attention to detail in cleaning.
The number of substances which are reputed to be effective in ridding a house
of bed bugs is legion. This number in itself shows that most of the vaunted remedies
are quite ineffective. In the writer's experience there is only one substance which is
effective in cleansing furniture and houses of this very objectionable pest. This
substance is hydrocyanic acid gas, in one or other of its forms.
The problem of infestation has been repeatedly considered by the Health
Committee recently, and the steps which are being taken to deal with it will be dealt
with in the next annual report.