PUBLIC HEALTH
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food stalls to within recognized limits and making the thorough- fare once more easily accessible to through pedestrian traffic.
Public Latrines and Bathhouses. The provision of additional public bathhouses and latrines proceeded in accordance with a long-term programme, the object being primarily to provide facilities for residents of densely-populated areas where flush sanitation is scarce or non-existent. Two new combined public latrine and bathhouse buildings were erected, making a total of nineteen in the urban districts. In addition, two new public latrines were erected. The nineteen bathhouses were used by 2,177,517 persons during the year, giving a total daily average of 5,966
persons.
Pest Control. The Pest Control Section of the Urban Services Department is responsible for the control of rats, mice, mosquitoes, fleas, cockroaches, bed-bugs, lice, biting midges, and other pests. This section also carried out regular control measures against flies at the Gin Drinkers Bay Refuse Dump.
An important part of the Section's duties is rodent control, and a total of 260,074 rodents were collected during the year. Another important aspect of the work is that of mosquito control, 10,444 breeding places being found and dealt with during 1958. The control of Cat Fleas, arising from infestations of both cats and dogs, continues to be a problem of increasing importance; over 150 disinfestations of premises against this pest were carried out by the Section during the year.
Scavenging and Conservancy. About 3,500 persons were employ- ed on the collection and disposal of refuse and on street cleansing, using 60 specialized refuse-collecting vehicles, 10 street-washing vehicles, 2 combined cesspit emptiers and washing vehicles, and 22 dumb barges specially constructed for the transport of bulk refuse. A day and night street-washing service was also maintained for the cleansing of roads, lanes, footpaths, market and hawker areas, the flushing of street gully traps and the laying of dust round building sites and reclamations.
The average amount of refuse collected rose from approximately 2,000 cubic yards a day in 1957 to about 2,200 cubic yards a day in 1958. The increase in volume is about 6% a year. The method of disposal is by marine dumping on an area of foreshore which