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Chris, if the landlord is being a db I would inform him, in writing, that unless he makes an immediate serious good faith effort to remedy the unsanitary and health threatening issues that exist in the apartment that come the 1st you/she will put the rent in escrow in addition to calling the board of health and calling a lawyer. If you are unfamiliar with the concept of an escrow account, it is an account you set up on behalf of a 3rd party (the landlord) to place his rent is a secure place until the problems are remedied (the bank will know what to do). The lawyer threat is pretty effective too. On the 1st you send him a letter telling him that the rent has been placed there along with the bank name and the account # (so he knows that you are not blowing smoke). That way he can't start eviction procedures for non-payment (but he doesn't seem to be they type). (He actually can, but if you escrow the rent your butt is covered, and the money can always be pulled out to pay the rent once he has effected repairs.)
These actions are all serious stuff and not to be used for minor issues. It sounds to me that something is called for here. Going to the board of health is probably the quickest way to get real action and the easiest path – the board will do much of the work.
All of these tactics are bridge-burning actions, so plan on finding a new place. That said, why in god's name is she still there? Vote with your feet - you can't do much worse.
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