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a saturated solution of naphtha will kill the bed-bug in six hours. The Council
decided to build a suitable van for this work and it came into service towards the
end of December. No opportunity for using it for naphtha work arose before the
end of the year.
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 women
sanitary inspectors. In this way 862 houses dealt with in earlier years were inspected.
In 1938 bugs were found in 42 of these houses, eleven, in addition to those referred
to in paragraph 2 (6), being on the Council's estates.
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 not common.
(f) 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.
Factories 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.