View report page

66
of the Health Department, either in the Council's special pantechnicons, of which
there are now two, or in hired vans. During the year 233 removals were carried out
in this way, each vanload being disinfested with Zyklon B, at the Council's Sun
Yard Eltham Depot.
4. Whether the work of disinfestation is carried out by the Local Authority or
by a Contractor. The work of disinfestation, including all cases where hydrogen
cyanide was used, was in every instance during the year carried out by the Council's
own staff.
5. The measures taken by way of supervision or education of tenants to prevent
infestation or re-infestation after cleansing. In Woolwich all houses which are disinfested,
or where furniture is disinfested prior to the tenants' admission are subject
for a period of two years to periodical inspection by the Council's woman sanitary
inspectors. In this way 754 houses dealt with in earlier years were inspected. Bugs
were found in 1937 in 19 of those treated in 1936. With four exceptions on the
Council's Page Estate these were all in private ownership. In order that householders
may co-operate with the Council in preventing infestation or re-infestation
after cleansing, the following steps have been taken by way of supervision or
education:—
(а) Each new tenant on the Council's estate 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.
(b) To the head of each infested family is sent after disinfestation a letter
asking for co-operation, and enclosing a reprint of the article referred to above.
(c) The sanitary inspector in charge of disinfestation personally explains to
the housewife the precautions which must be taken after disinfestation if the house
is to remain free from bugs.
(d) The woman sanitary inspector pays periodic visits for a period of two years.
On these visits she repeats how infestation may occur, e.g., by the exchange of
bedding and cot furniture between neighbours and friends, by the purchase of
secondhand furniture from neighbours and dealers, or by the purchase of infested
firewood from itinerant hawkers.
(e) Secondhand furniture is disinfested free of charge on request, but such
requests are rare.
(/) A copy of the film, "The Red Army," has been purchased and is shown
frequently in connection with health lectures. It deals with the life history of the
bed-bug and its dissemination.
(g) During Health Week a bed-bug stall was arranged at the Exhibition.