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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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Numerous complaints concerning these pests were investigated
during 1922, and the occupiers advised and assisted.
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949 which replaced the
Act of 1919 emphasises that the primary obligation is on the local
authority to ensure that so far as practicable its area is kept free from
rats and mice. Under the old Act the primary duty was laid upon the
individual occupier, coupled with a right of the local authority to
enforce the requirement upon him.
As an indication of the work carried out by the Department a copy
of the report for 1951, the first full year of the working under the new
Act, is as under.
Table 71
| Type of property | (i) | (ii) | (iii) | (iv) | (v) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in borough | Properties inspected as a result of (a) notification or (b) otherwise | Properties (under ii) found to be rat infested | Properties found to be seriously mouse infested | Infested properties (under Hi) and iv) treated | |||
| (a) | (b) | Major | Minor | ||||
| Local authorities' property | 128 | 11 | - | - | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| Dwelling houses | 61,800 | 1,084 | 1,130 | 9 | 955 | 205 | 1,169 |
| Agricultural property | 48 | — | 5 | — | 5 | — | 5 |
| All other property (including business and industrial) | 3,635 | 98 | 19 | 1 | 95 | 5 | 89 |
| TOTAL | 65,611 | 1,193 | 1,154 | 10 | 1,061 | 211 | 1,270 |
Number of "block " control schemes carried out 3
In addition to the work reported above the Department carries out
regular programmes for the destruction of rats along the banks of the
rivers in the Borough. Also with the co-operation of the Borough
Surveyor's Department, and other peripheral Authorities regular treatments
of sewers are carried out to keep the rat population within reasonable
limits.
Disinfection and Personal cleansing
Disinfection is only briefly referred to in Dr. Wellesley Harris's
first Report for 1901. During the year 13,982 articles were disinfected
at the Council's Central Station. Further information appeared in the
Report for 1902 where it is learned that 1,148 rooms were disinfected
and 32,201 articles were removed for treatment in the steam disinfector
at Molesworth Street Depot. During the smallpox outbreak it was