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also a Public Washhouse. At Woolwich there is a First Class Swimming Bath
(capacity 120,000 gallons); a Second Class Swimming Bath (capacity 90,000 gallons);
and 60 Slipper Baths. At North Woolwich there are 22 Slipper Baths. The construction
of the new baths at Eltham—two swimming pools—was proceeded with
during the year.
Through the courtesy of the Baths Superintendent I am able to say that the
total number using the Swimming Baths during the year was 187,246; Turkish
and Russian Vapour Baths, 23,756; Slipper Baths, 194,298; and the Public
Washhouse, 14,133.
Filtration plants have been installed at the Woolwich and Plumstead Baths,
and the chemical and bacteriological content of the water is regularly examined
by members of the Baths staff. Independent samples are taken by this Department
from time to time. There are two open-air swimming pools in the Borough, one
in Eltham Park and one in the Victoria Gardens, North Woolwich. These belong
to the London County Council, and filtration plants have been installed at both.
There are also paddling pools in the Borough, one belonging to the Woolwich Borough
Council on their Middle Park Estate, and one in Eaglesfield, belonging to the London
County Council. There are no filtration plants at either of these.
Eradication of Bed-Bugs.—An organised effort against bed-bug infestation
of the Council's Housing Estates has been in being since 1934. It includes inspection
of the furniture and effects of selected applicants, inspection when opportunity
offers of occupied Council houses not known to be infested, disinfestation when
necessary of furniture and effects prior to occupation, disinfestation when necessary
of tenanted and untenanted Council houses, and regular periodic supervision of all
houses for a period of two years after a process of disinfestation has been carried
out. The figures given under appropriate heads below indicate what this effort
means and indicate the measure of success.
It is not possible to exercise the same control over privately owned houses
as over the Council's estates, but the Council help owners so far as their resources
allow, by disinfesting contents of infested houses while the owners deal with the
structure, by "following up" afterwards by trained women Sanitary Inspectors
and by disseminating knowledge about the bed-bug amongst the populace. There
is, however, no organised search for the bed bug in these houses and no disinfestation
of premises or furniture before new tenants are admitted. Houses known to be
bug infested, and about to be demolished, are, however, disinfested.
During the year the Royal Sanitary Institute arranged a course on disinfestation
for sanitary inspectors. The Council sent one woman Sanitary Inspector to this
course.