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During the year 66 defects or contraventions of the Factory Acts were remedied.
Swimming Baths.
One private and two municipal swimming baths are situate in the Borough and are open
to the public. The private bath and one of the municipal baths have filtration and chlorination
plants. The other municipal bath has no filtration or chlorination plant and was closed in
September, 1938. Two new municipal baths are in the course of erection and will be completed
during 1939.
Eradication of Bed Bugs.
(a) Number of Council houses—
(1) found to be infested 34
(2) disinfested 34
(b) Number of other houses—
(1) found to be infested 141
(2) disinfested 122
The Housing Department is responsible for the disinfestation of Council houses and
various insecticides such as Cescones, Bono and Ris are used. If the infestation is severe a
contractor is employed to fumigate the house with hydrogen cyanide.
Disinfestation of other houses is carried out by the Health Department at the request of
the owner or occupier. This work is done by the disinfectors and Zaldecide is the insecticide
used.
A contractor is employed to disinfest verminous furniture with hydrogen cyanide and the
bedding is treated by steam disinfection prior to the tenants' removal to Council houses.
Tenants of houses are given general advice on the methods to be adopted to prevent reinfestation.
Schools.
All schools in the Borough have an adequate water supply from the mains and as many
of them are of recent construction their sanitary condition is satisfactory. No schools were
closed during 1938 with a view to preventing the spread of infection but contacts and cases of
infectious disease were excluded in accordance with the Memorandum on Closure of and Exclusion
from School, 1927.
Open Spaces.
The following facilities for open-air exercise and recreation are available in the
Borough :—
Corporation Public Parks and Recreation grounds 201.4 acres
School and Private Sports Grounds 299.5 „
Allotments 100.8 „
Disposal of the Dead.
The available accommodation is sufficient to meet the needs of the Borough. During
1938, 61 bodies were deposited in the Public Mortuary and 28 post-mortem examinations were
carried out there. A new and up-to-date Public Mortuary is required.
Canal Boats.
The Sanitary Inspectors carry out the duties of Canal Boat Inspectors under the Public
Health Act, 1936. The work done during 1938 is shown below :—
No. of Inspections, etc.:
Number of inspections made 85
Number of canal boats inspected 82
Number of boats found in order 76
Number of boats with one infringement 3
Number of boats with two infringements 3
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