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44
rats and mice
Prior to 1918 the discovery of tuberculosis in animals killed in the local slaughterhouses
was (at least for some years) rare. Table 19 (page 40) in the Report for 1914-18 shows this
fact. During 1919 and 1920 tuberculosis was unduly prevalent. The following statement for
the last three years is unsatisfactory.

The sheep were fairly free from disease.
Food Shops.—The number of these shops fell from 482 in 1913 to 389 in 1918, but rose to
426 in 1919 and 430 in 1920. The increase was mainly due to the opening of fishmongers'
shops and refreshment houses. The inspections of these premises had not returned to the prewar
standard before the close of 1920. During 1909-13 the inspections numbered 1,031 per
annum falling to 846 during 1914-18 and 883 during 1919-20—762 in 1919 and 1,010 in 1920.
In all the figures here quoted, the inspections of foodstuffs sold from street stalls are not
included.
Food Preparation.—Fish-curing was carried on in 1919-20 at 6 premises, sausages and
saveloys manufactured at 7 in 1919 and 8 in 1920. The two margarine factories opened during
the war continued operations during the past two years. Only one bacon curing factory
remained at the end of 1918 and that was closed down during 1919.
Milk Trade.—There was one cowshed (3 cows) in occupation during 1919-20. The
premises where milk was sold numbered 100 at the end of 1920, one new dairy having been
registered in that year. There were 10 transfers of registration in 1919 and 9 in 1920. The
inspections of these premises numbered 171 in 1919 and 250 in 1920.
There were no cases of infectious disease on milk vendors' premises during 1919 and
4 (including one of scarlet fever) in 1920. The cases in houses where milk carriers lived (or
in their families) numbered 8 in 1919 (including 2 cases each of scarlet fever and diphtheria
and 1 of enteric fever) and 19 in 1920 (including 11 of scarlet fever and 6 of diphtheria).
Appropriate action was taken forthwith in each instance and no spread of infection through
milk was discovered.
Ice Cream Trade—This was discontinued during the later years of the war and was not
resumed until 1919. At the end of 1920, 71 vendors were on the Register, the inspections of
the premises where the trade is carried on, numbering 24 in 1919 and 109 in 1920. One
case of scarlet fever occurred among the makers' families during 1919 and one of diphtheria
in 1920. There were 7 barrowmen, 3 of whom traded outside the borough.
Unsound Food.—The total weight of foodstuffs destroyed as unfit for human consumption
during 1919, was 28,336 lbs., of which 2,982 lbs. (10'5 per cent.) were dealt with in transit.
In 1920, the total weight destroyed was 20,564 lbs., 5,824 lbs. or 27.9 per cent. being in the
course of transit. Having regard to prices, such waste is more than regrettable and ought to
be preventable.
VI.—RATS AND MICE.
In August, 1918, the Ministry of Food and the Local Government Board issued Orders
requiring local authorities to take such measures as were deemed requisite for the
destruction of rats and to call upon owners to remove rubbish, etc. affording harbourage
or food for rats. If any owner neglected to comply with the requirements of the local
authority, the authority were given power to enter the lands or premises, make the
necessary clearance and recover their expenses from the owner.
In January, 1919, the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries called the attention of local
authorities to the urgent necessity of more active administration of the Order of 1918 and
issued circulars as to the methods of extermination which had been found to be effective.
In the following May further circular letters were issued again pressing for greater activity and
announcing a "Rat Week" of co-operative destruction for the period of 20 to 27 October.