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24
Half-yearly sewer maintenance treatments were carried out
during June and December but systematic block treatments of
sewers was continuous throughout the year.
Occupiers of 172 dwelling houses which were infested with
mice were supplied by the Public Health Department with 377
packets of poison baits (totalling 1,508 baits).
The annual return on page 25 has been prepared on the
lines required by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Following a recommendation by the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries that local authorities should use bread rusk as a
base for rat baits, the Public Health Committee early in the year
authorised the purchase of a mincing machine to produce bread
rusk from stale bread in view of the high cost of purchasing this
material commercially.
This experiment was so successful and effected such a
financial saving that, at the suggestion of the Ministry, the
Rodent Officer prepared an article on this method of producing
bread rusk which was published in the Municipal Engineering
Journal in order that the matter might be brought to the
notice of other local authorities.
A few months later the Committee authorised the installation
of an electricity supply to the bait-preparing room at 6, Artichoke
Place and the purchase of an electric motor to operate the
mincing machine.
Disinfecting and Cleansing Station.
The following tables show the number of attendances for
treatment made at the Municipal Cleansing Station, Frensham
Street, Peckham Park Road, S.E.15, during the year, by
residents affected with vermin or scabies: —