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
Greenwich 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough.
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63
During recent years efforts have been made to provide an
alternative means of disposal of household and trade refuse by
controlled tipping after transportation in the Council's own
vehicles into disused chalk pits in Kent and over the low-lying disused
land at the extreme eastern end of the Woolwich Arsenal, but
without success up to the present. The possibility of disposal of
refuse by composting as a further alternative is still being pursued.
The 923 tons of salvaged materials collected during the year was disposed of by sales amounting to £6,632, made up as follows:
| Scrap Metal | — | 81 tons | — | £487 |
| Waste Paper | — | 801 tons | — | £5,316 |
| Rags, etc. | — | 41 tons | — | £829 |
An income of £1,295 was obtained from the charges made by
the Council for the collection and/or disposal of 404 tons of trade
refuse arising from business premises in the Borough.
RODENT CONTROL
General.—During the year the Rodent Control Scheme, as
approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has
continued, although with the introduction in 1959 of "block" grants
to local authorities, direct financial assistance by the government to
this service ceased.
Of a total of 638 recorded complaints (408 of rats and 230 of
mice), 439 were notifications, 69 re-notifications from occupiers or
other sources and 130 were found during survey. The monthly
average of complaints from all sources was 53 as compared with a
figure of 44 for the previous year.
In addition to the investigations of recorded complaints, 4,461
other surveys were carried out under the Prevention of Damage by
Pests Act, 1949, giving a grand total of 5,099.
During investigations, infestation was found to exist on 8
occasions in local authority's premises, 441 in dwelling houses and
114 in miscellaneous properties and places of business. Of these,
8 major infestations were disclosed, 4 of rats and 4 of mice, of
which 4 were located in dwelling houses. In all some 575 treatments
were effected by the local authority and 11 by occupiers or
other services.
Notwithstanding the fact that large industrial firms are inclined
to make contracts with servicing companies, periodical treatments
were carried out at 10 industrial premises, 5 wharves and storage
places and at 3 hospitals in the Borough.