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The verminous bedding and clothing were taken to the
Disinfecting Station and steamed, and the verminous rooms
fumigated or sprayed, and, where necessary, notices were served
upon the owners to cleanse and strip the rooms if vermin were
afterwards found present.
There were also 73 notices received from the London County
Council in respect of children suffering from scabies, and 4 notices
from hospitals in respect of out-patients. Two cases were referred
for treatment by private practitioners. The bedding in these cases
was disinfected on receipt of information and again 10 days later.
In addition to the cleansing of verminous rooms or premises by
owners and tenants after service of notice by the Sanitary
Inspectors, 848 rooms at 593 premises, where neither tenant nor
owner could be shown to be directly responsible, were cleansed of
vermin by spraying by the staff of the Public Health Department.
During the year, owing to the difficulties in obtaining reliable
insecticide and the apparatus with which to apply it, arrangements
were continued to loan hand-sprayers and sell insecticide at cost
price to owners and tenants in order to assist them in clearing their
premises of vermin. Material to the value of £179. 2s. 9d. was sold
for this purpose. This consisted of 3,101 pints of insecticide and
382 sprayers loaned or sold.
Rats and Mice Destruction Act, 1919.
The number of complaints received during the year of premises
being infested with rats was 650. These complaints were effectually
dealt with in most cases by the repair or reconstruction of defective
sewers, drains and sanitary fittings, under the supervision of the
Sanitary Inspectors.
In 40 cases it was necessary to serve notices under the Act upon
the occupiers of the land or premises.
Two premises were cleared under the agreement with Messrs.
Howard & Son (Rat-catchers), under the supervision of the
Council's Sanitary Staff.