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98
Cleansing and Disinfection.— 165 persons were cleansed during the year
and had their clothing disinfected. All were adults and they were cleansed
because of vermin.
2,322 rooms were fumigated and the bedding, etc., removed and disinfected
by steam. Of these, 1,147 rooms were fumigated because of infectious
disease, 135 as a result of pulmonary tuberculosis, and 1,040 because they
were verminous. In addition to these, scabies occurred in 1,306 families and
the bedding was taken away and disinfected by steam.
The disinfection of second-hand clothing, prior to export to South Africa
and the supervision of the packing of the goods was carried out as in previous
years. The number of such articles dealt with this year reached 27,405.
The total number of articles disinfected for all purposes was 59,297.
Bug Eradication.— The year 1937 completes the first full year of the
operation of the Hydrogen Cyanide Fumigation Chamber.
The furniture and effects of 379 families were treated in the chamber
before being rehoused ; of this number 18 were done for the Stepney Housing
Trust, 1 for the Corporation of the City of London, thus leaving a total of
360 for families rehoused in Council Flats.

1,473 inspections we're made to 788 flats during the year, and of this
number 345 were found to be infested, and suitable steps were taken for the
eradication of vermin, either by means of fumigation or spraying with insecticide
according to the degree of infestation.