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In addition to the investigations of recorded complaints, 9,111
other surveys were carried out under the Prevention of Damage by
Pests Act, 1949, giving a grand total of 12,491.
During investigations, infestation was found to exist on 28
occasions in local authority's premises, 1,949 in dwelling houses and
376 in miscellaneous properties and places of business. In all, some
3,084 treatments were effected by the Council and 5 by occupiers
or other services.
Periodical treatments were carried out at 7 industrial premises,
two wharves and three hospitals in the Borough.
Following the policy of tracing the source of each infestation,
34 defective drainage systems were discovered. In these instances
Notices were served under the Public Health Act, 1936, and the
defects remedied.
Calls were made as and when necessary on the services of the
Borough Engineer and Planning Officer's staff to enter sewers
during colour-tests or in the tracing of disused drains and also to
the lifting of paving to locate sources of infestation; these services
were readily available.
Occupiers of business premises and also householders readily
report any known or suspected infestation, and the value of routine
investigation made in these properties is emphasised by the fact
that it is rare to find occupiers tolerating infestation after being
made aware of the service available under the Rodent Control
Scheme.
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949
Rats and mice are notorious not only for the wholesale destruction
and fouling of foodstuffs and for the structural damage they
cause to buildings, but also for their part in the spread of disease.
Leptospirosis (Weil's disease) is primarily a disease of rats and is
one which can be fatal to man. The disease is transmitted by means
of food, dust, mud, slime and water which has been contaminated
by urine or faeces from infected rats. Efficient rodent control is the
first and most important defence against this type of disease.
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949, has placed the
onus for the destruction of these pests on Local Authorities and
makes obligatory the notification to these authorities by occupiers
of any rodent infestation. It has not been found necessary during
the year to take legal action to enforce the provisions of the Act.