London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lewisham 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
28
Rodent control
A section, consisting from May to September of a foreman and
three operatives and from October to April of the foreman and seven
operatives, is maintained for the purpose of repressing rat infestation
in private properties and business premises, and this section is supervised
by the senior sanitary inspector.
A summary of the work carried out in private or business premises during the year is appended :—
Table 17
| Parliamentary Division | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West | North | South | ||
| Properties inspected on complaint | 578 | 481 | 351 | 1410 |
| Properties otherwise initially inspected | 1299 | 1134 | 685 | 3118 |
| Premises baited :— Initial treatments | 622 | 602 | 547 | 1771 |
| Retreatments (infestation found) | 656 | 633 | 576 | 1865 |
| No infestation found (initially or at re-inspection) | 892 | 1178 | 1083 | 3153 |
| Total visits | 6045 | 4167 | 4820 | 15032 |
| Rivers and ditches, base points | 72 | 493 | 219 | 784 |
| Other premises, base points | 178 | 163 | 148 | 439 |
An estimate of the kill in this connection is no longer made.
This used to be based on the amount of poison bait taken. During
the year, as indicated in my last report, the newer type of bait, warfarin,
was used increasingly, but this bait is laid down in largish quantities
for rather long periods as it is a relatively slow-working cumulative
poison, and so it is not possible to calculate the kill from the amount
taken.
Special liaison is made twice yearly with the Borough Engineer's
department for the treatment of sewers. In 1953, treatments were
carried out from June 15 to July 4 and from November 30 to December
19. The method employed in carrying out this work was to deposit 8 oz.
prebait on the first day and if a complete take was shown, 16 ozs. of
prebait were used on the second day. Where complete takes were
shown on the second day, the poison bait deposited was equal to the
prebait. In any case at least 8 ozs. of poison bait was deposited. Poison
takes were not inspected.
The following is a summary of the results obtained :—
Summer treatment
Manholes baited 2,935
Manholes showing prebait take 888
Manholes showing complete prebait take
(on one or both days) 403