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
Lewisham 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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A table is appended giving the results of these treatments in the year 1948:—
Table 12
| Dates of Treatment | 21st May to 23rd June, 1948. | 29th November to 22nd December, 1948. |
|---|---|---|
| Scheme of Baiting Bait base and poison | 3 consecutive days Sausage rusk and 2½% Zinc Phosphide (4:4:8oz.) | 3 consecutive days Sausage rusk and 2½% Zinc Phosphide (4:4:8oz.) |
| No. of manholes baited | 2836 | 2836 |
| No. of manholes showing preliminary pre-bait take | 1476 | 1810 |
| No. of manholes showing complete pre-bait take | 954 | 1104 |
Campaign against flies and mosquitoes
The Public Health Committee during the winter of 1947-48 made
arrangements for a campaign during the summer months against flies
and mosquitoes. This campaign lasted from the beginning of May until
the end of September, and a sum of £1,445 was included in the estimates
for it. The campaign consisted in the main of having two pairs of motor
cyclists with helpers to tour round the borough, area by area, and to
deal with any potentially infested site, paying particular attention to
bombed sites and static water tanks. For the purpose two motor cycles,
plus special sidecars were hired from the Borough Engineer's department,
and various items of apparatus were bought. The insecticides used were
DDT and a rather similar powder called gammexane. At the same
time the Borough Engineer's department co-operated with us in arranging
for the dustmen to place gammexane powder in the dustbins when
they were emptied. We provided the powder, the shakers and any
other apparatus required. Owing mainly to a lesser sum than estimated
being spent on hiring the motor cycles with drivers, the actual expenditure
came to a little under £1,200.
Previous to the commencement of the campaign a survey of the
borough had been carried out and 750 sites were listed for treatment.
These sites included, besides the bombed sites and static water tanks
referred to, vacant land, grass verges, allotments, stables, pig sties, river
banks and ditches. The aim was to get round each area at least once a
month, but where necessary additional sprayings were applied. Furthermore,
rooms and private dwellings were sprayed at the request of the
occupiers.
During the campaign Very few complaints of fly infestation were
received and members of the public expressed, verbally and by letter,
their appreciation of the work carried out by the council in dealing
with flies and mosquitoes. However, it must be pointed out that last
summer, was, in this and other areas, almost an ideal summer as far
as freedom from flies and mosquitoes was concerned, and this was in