London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Barnes 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnes]
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28
ERADICATION OF BED BUGS.
Particulars are given below of action taken during the year in
the case of dwellings found on inspection to be bug-infested.
(t) Disinfestation of houses.
The number of infested houses dealt with was 140. Of this
number 18 were Council houses, and 122 were houses not owned by
the Council.
Disinfestation of the 18 Council houses was carried out by the
staff of the Public Health Department. Zaldecide was employed in
the case of all these houses. In addition to the Council houses 84
vacant houses in clearance areas awaiting demolition were disinfested
with sulphur dioxide.
In the case of the 38 houses in which disinfestation was carried
out by the owners, advice was given by officers of the Public Health
Department as to the most suitable action to be taken in each particular
case in dealing with the premises.
During 1938 hydrogen cyanide was not employed for the disinfestation
of any house.
The number of families rehoused whose household effects were disinfested by hydrogen cyanide in the course of removal during the year are given below:—
| Rehoused in Council houses:— | |
| (i) Under slum-clearance action: | |
| (a) From clearance areas | 93 |
| (b) From unfit houses, Sec. 19 | — |
| (ii) For the abatement of overcrowding | 9 |
| (iii) On general public health grounds | 2 |
| Transfer of tenants from one Council house to another | 1 |
| Total | 105 |
(in) Disinfestation of bedding and bedclothing.
In all cases disinfestation of bug-infested bedding and bedclothing
has been carried out by steam-disinfection at the Council's
Disinfecting Station.