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At the present minute an alternative proposition is being considered, namely, that the old
smallpox hospital premises be utilised so that the disinfestation can take place on the premises, which
are completely isolated, and the hospital premises, which are in good order, can be used for housing
the actual tenants, and if need be, the neighbours on either side, while the premises are disinfested.
I have been using, pending the installation of a Cyanide apparatus, one of the other advertised
preparations on the premises before the furniture has been removed. In view of one's own experience
and that of other districts, I have no hesitation in saying that if the work is to be a hundred per cent
efficient there is nothing I know of except Cyanide that will do the job, but to do the job efficiently
before the tenants enter the house, and to allow them opportunities of importing bugs into clean
premises is to render the whole thing futile.
There may be a certain amount of difficulty with certain tenants, but it seems to me that can
be easily got over by making it one of the conditions of tenancy, that if necessary, they must comply
with any instructions given which may facilitate the disinfestation of any premises, either those they
occupy or those adjoining.
It must be borne in mind, in dealing with bugs, that their manifestations are not always the
limit of their visible presence. An excellent example occurred at a local institution. It was found,
after a maid had left, who had been many years in the Institution, that her bed bore manifest evidence
of bugs. I was asked what to do. I advised the only thing in my opinion was fumigation with Cyanide.
This was carried out by Mr. Seymour, and when the fumigation was over it was found that the
bugs were not only present in the next room along the corridor, but in the one beyond that as well,
and on the other side had invaded the linen cupboard.
One's advice for dealing drastically with the matter was abundantly justified.
The recommendations that I made some years ago that adequate and proper provision should
be made in labour saving houses with just sufficient accommodation to meet the needs of older persons,
have at last come into being.
The accompanying plans show the two types of houses which have been built to meet those
needs.
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