[Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Taunton Borough.

  • Taunton (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1937
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Taunton Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/36 page 14
    Sanitary Inspection of the Area. The appointment of a third Sanitary Inspector who com¬ menced duty on 12th April has helped to lessen the pressure caused by the general increase of work, particularly by the Slum Clearance Programme, Overcrowding, and the Shops Act, 1934. The report of the Chief Sanitary Inspector is given on pages 26 to 31 and also includes particulars of action taken under the Shops Act and Smoke Abatement. Swimming Baths and Pools, There is one public swimming bath in the Town. This is owned by the Taunton Corporation and the water is filtered and chlorinated. There are other baths belonging to residential schools, but these are not open to the general public. Steam Disinfector. The old disinfector was replaced by a new Aveling Barford Current Steam Disinfector and this came into use in January. Eradication of Bed Bugs. In order to obviate the possible infestation of new Council houses, the scheme whereby the furniture and effects, except bedding, of all persons living in Slum Clearance Areas was treated with Hydrogen Cyanide was continued. This scheme includes the removal of all bedding to the steam disinfector where it is disinfected by steam, and the treatment of all furniture and other effects with Hydrogen Cyanide in a special motor van and the subsequent removal of these to the new house. The contract made for this purpose was renewed during the year. Hydrogen Cyanide has also been used for infested houses, but when this is done it is necessary to secure the vacation of adjoining houses for a period owing to the high powers 0/ penetration of this gas, and in cases where infestation was not marked other methods, such as the use of proprietary insecticides or nascent sulphur di-oxide, have been used. No of houses found to be infested. No. disinfested and methods used. a. Council houses 5 Sprayed with insecticide b. Other houses 1 Fumigated with Sulphur di-oxide.
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