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
Kensington 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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Bathing of School Children.
The personnel of the first aid posts, under the
supervision of the health visitors, continued to give free
baths to school children in the gas cleansing stations attached
to the posts. The number of baths given was 4,114.
Disinfection and Disinfestation.
A summary of the work of the disinfecting staff is shown in the following table
| Number of houses disinfected after infectious disease | 355 |
| Number of rooms disinfected in such houses | 411 |
| Number of shelters disinfected | 112 |
| Number of houses disinfested after vermin | 193 |
| Number of rooms disinfested in such houses | 330 |
| Number of loads of furniture treated with hydrogen cyanide | 32 |
| Weight of bedding dealt with - 231 tons. 13 cwt. 1 qr. 6 lb. | |
Destruction of Rats and Mice.
In accordance with a direction served on the Council
by the Minister of Food under the Infestation Order, 1943, a
survey of the borough was made and 2,221 premises were found
to be infested with rats or mice.
Following this survey, further directions were
served on the Council by the Minister of Food to proceed with
all necessary steps for remedying these infestations.
In the beginning of 1944, the Council adopted a
special scheme involving the appointment of extra staff in
order to comply with the Minister of Food's directions. The
work was placed under the control of the chief sanitary inspector.
In January, an extensive baiting of the sewers in
the borough was undertaken, and it was estimated that approximately
1,400 rats were destroyed. In July, a second treatment
of the sewers was commenced but, owing to enemy action by
flying bombs, this was not completed.
During the year, 498 complaints of rat infestation
were received in the Public Health Department. The number of
visits paid by the rat officers was 3,125. In 304 cases,
notices were served on owners under the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936, to remedy drainage defects which were considered
to be the source of the infestation.
Forty-nine informal notices under the Rats and
Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, were served. In 13 cases, the
Ministry of Food were asked to serve notices Upon owners to
carry out preventive and remedial works to rid the premises of
rats. This latter action was necessary because the Rats and
Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, permits the Council to deal only
with occupiers of premises but, under the Infestation Order,
1943, the Ministry of Food have power to serve "directions"
upon owners of premises.
The Infestation Order, 1943, has imposed additional
duties upon the Council, whose financial responsibility has
been fixed as that which is laid upon them under the Rats and
Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919. The expenditure incurred by
the Council under that Act in the financial year ended