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4. Whether the Work of Disinfestation is Carried out by the Local Authority or by
a Contractor.—The work of disinfestation with hydrogen cyanide during the year
was, in every instance, carried out by contractors, but at the end of the year
arrangements were made for the training of the Council's own personnel in the use
of Zyklon for this purpose, and from the beginning of 1937 it has been agreed that
the work shall be done direct by the Council, so far as vans are concerned. At
a later date, as soon as the necessary experience has been gained, the disinfestation
of Council houses by this method will also be carried out direct by the Council as
is all other disinfestation.
A further question in my judgment might with advantage have been added
namely, whether there is supervision of premises after disinfestation and if so, to
what extent. To my mind this is as important as the actual disinfestation.
Education as to the way the bed-bug is spread is important particularly amongst
those members of the public who regard it as an inevitable accompaniment of a
working class dwelling. Even now, after five years' intensive work here against
the bed-bug, there is too much exchange of bedding and cot furniture between
neighbours and friends; too much thoughtless purchase of infested second-hand
furniture from neighbours and dealers; and a too sympathetic readiness to buy
infested firewood from itinerant hawkers. Too often infested premises in private
ownership are occupied after disinfestation by new tenants with infested belongings.
In Woolwich all houses which are disinfested or where furniture is disinfested
prior to the tenant's admission, are subject for a period of two years to periodicinspection
by the Council's Women Sanitary Inspectors. In this way 615 houses
dealt with in earlier years were inspected. Bugs were found in 1936 in 104 of those
treated in 1935. All of these were in private ownership and sulphur dioxide was
the fumigant used in the great majority (88) of them. On the other hand, in not
a single house in the Council's Estates from which the bed-bug had been eliminated
did re-infestation occur. Each new tenant receives by post a copy of the Council's
Health Services booklet which contains a short article on the bed-bug and how
it spreads; the tenant of each infested house after disinfestation is given a reprint
of this article, and an Inspector personally explains the precautions which must
be taken if the house is to remain free from bugs.
As in previous years, greatly appreciated assistance in skilled observation and
scientific control of the processes used, has been given by officers of Government
departments and specialists in this work.
Factory and Workshop Act.—The following Table is in the form adopted
by the Secretary of State to provide for uniformity throughout the country in the
presentation of certain particulars of this work which lend themselves to statistical
treatment.