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
Fulham 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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78
RAT DESTRUCTION.
The Borough Council employ a Rat Officer who is a whole-time employee
of the Public Health Department. He attends to complaints regarding rat
infestation in the Borough and takes steps necessary for their destruction.
He also traces the source of the rats and gives advice regarding the methods
necessary to prevent a recurrence of the infestation.
One hundred and forty-nine formal complaints regarding infestation
by rats were received during the year.
Poison baits were laid in the following positions:—
Private houses 267
Other Premises 61
Sewers 759
In every case of Rat Infestation the Rat Officer makes a thorough
investigation in order to ascertain the source from which the rats gain admission
to the premises. In all cases the Rat Officer works in association with
the Sanitary Inspectors so that the defects are remedied as the result of
notices served by the Inspectors.
Out of 149 Rat complaints investigated, in 69 instances (46.3 per cent.)
the rats gained admission to the premises on account of defective drains.
The type of drainage defect is shown in the following table:—
| Defective drains under premises | 19 |
| Broken connection under footway | 33 |
| Disused Rainwater Branches | |
| Disused Connections | |
| 69 |
In three cases the infestation was due to defective sewers. Rats were caught as follows:—
| In sewers under re-construction | 219 |
| In dustbin traps in sewers | 230 |
| In cage traps | 389 |
| By ferrets and break-back traps in premises | 303 |
| 1,141 |
The amount received by the Council from property owners for the
services of the Rat Officer, was during the year ended 31st March, 1935,
£23 15s. 0d., and in addition £5 was credited to the department for the services
of the Rat Officer to other departments of the Council.
During Rat Week in November an intensive effort was made to exterminate
rats in sewers and on lands and buildings known to be infested. Special
attention was paid to the stunt ends of 12" pipe sewers known to harbour rats
and 2,600 baits were laid therein. Although no estimate of the mortality
amongst the rat population as the result of this action is possible, it is satisfactory
to record that nearly all baits were taken.