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A further agreement in regard to the cleansing of verminous inmates of common lodging
houses was made with the County Council in 1920, in which the Borough Council have agreed to
cleanse verminous inmates from Kensington common lodging houses free of charge and to bath
those sent by the London County Council officers from common lodging houses in neighbouring
boroughs at a rate of a 1/- per bath.
The cleansing of Kensington persons not sent by officers of the County Council is performed
free of charge by the Superintendent and his wife under the direction of the Medical Officer
of Health.
Arrangements have been made with the Councils of the neighbouring Boroughs of
Hammersmith and Fulham for the cleansing of residents (other than school children and lodginghouse
cases) of those Boroughs at the Medicinal Baths, on the recommendation and under the
responsibility of the Medical Officers of Health of the Boroughs in which the persons reside.
The Councils of these two Boroughs have agreed to pay 1s. per bath and to indemnify the
Council of the Royal Borough against any claim which a Hammersmith or Fulham person may
bring, in respect of any treatment given at the Medicinal Baths.
The methods adopted for the cleansing of verminous persons and for the treatment of scabies
(itch) were described in detail in my two previous reports.
The installation of a very efficient steam disinfector at the Medicinal Baths is proving
of great value, and an attempt is being made to disinfect as much clothing and bed linen as
possible during the personal cleansings, in order to obviate, as far as possible, re-infection of
persons cleansed on return to their homes.
FOULING OF FOOTPATHS BY DOGS.
A by-law made in pursuance of Section 23 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882, Section 16
of the Local Government Act, 1888, and Section 5 of the Local Government Act, 1899, making it
an offence to allow a dog on a lead to deposit its excrement upon the public footway, has been in
operation in the Borough since December, 1921.
The Council have issued a pamphlet which has been posted in various places in the Borough
and delivered by hand to a very large number of Kensington dog owners. The matter has alsoreceived
notice in the local press. There is no doubt that the condition of the foot pavements has
improved considerably since this by-law has been in operation.
Two officers of the Council's Public Health staff make observations and during 1922 they
reported two breaches of this by-law to the Public Health Committee. In each case a warning
was issued.
THE RATS AND MICE (DESTRUCTION) ACT, 1919.
This Act, which became operative on January 1st, 1920, involves local authorities and
occupiers of premises in additional responsibilities in connection with the supression of rats. The
first section of the Act reads as follows:—
"Any person who shall fail to take such steps as may from time to time be necessary
"and reasonably practicable for the destruction of rats and mice on or in any land of
"which he is the occupier, or for preventing such land from becoming infested with
"rats or mice, shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five
"pounds, or, where he has been served with a notice under this Act requiring him to
"take such steps, not exceeding twenty pounds."
In the Borough, the Borough Council are the authority required to execute and enforce this
Act; but the London County Council are responsible for rat repression in sewers vested in the
County Council. The Borough Council are also required to observe the requirements of the Act
in respect of any land of which they are the occupiers.
The Borough Council may, within their own area, give instructions by public notice as to the
most efficient methods that can be adopted both individually and collectively with a view to the
destruction of rats and mice. Also, in the event of the occupier failing to take necessary action,
the Council may serve notice requiring him to take steps for the purpose of destroying rats and
mice and of preventing his land or premises becoming infested, or, after 24 hours' notice, they may
enter the premises, carry out the work and recover any reasonable expenses from him.
The Council have delegated their powers under the Act to the Public Health Committe, and
each Sanitary Inspector makes inspections in his district for the purpose of detecting rat-infested
premises and reports to the Medical Officer of Health cases in which the occupiers are not taking
all practical steps to destroy the rats or to prevent their premises becoming infested.
A Rat Officer is employed at a wage of £4 per week to assist in the work of rat destruction
under the supervision of the Sanitary Inspectors. He has carried out good work during the year
as is evidenced by the following table:—
Number of visits to Premises 2,098
„ individual Premises visited 288
„ Premises cleared of rats 164
„ Poison Baits laid 21,110
„ „ disappeared 18,820
„ „ removed by Rat Officer 2,290