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33
If this is an example of how much food can find its way
into a comparatively short length of drain, it is no wonder that
so many rats can and do live in sewers.
One Notice was served under the Prevention of Damage by
Pests Act.
52 Notices to repair drains, etc., causing rat infestations were
served under the Public Health (London) Act.
Approximately £110 has been received for treatment by
baiting and trapping at 73 business premises.
The following is a summary of work done for the year, but
in future this will differ from that supplied to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries as they now require figures to correspond
with the financial year.

Atmospheric Pollution.
In December, 1952, the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing
Joint Committee invited the constituent Councils to co-operate
with the London and Home Counties Smoke Abatement Society
by setting up stations in their areas for measuring and recording
the extent of atmospheric pollution. The Council at once agreed
and stations have been set up in (a) Westville Road, and (b)
Australia Road. These are in addition to that which had been
established in Ravenscourt Park and is maintained by the London
County Council.
The apparatus, which was purchased towards the end of
the year, consists of a deposit gauge and a lead peroxide instrument.
The deposit gauge collects the grit, ash and finer particles
of matter and the lead peroxide instrument measures the quantity
of sulphurous gases (gases which irritate the lungs and penetrate
the masonry of buildings) on a specially prepared cylinder.
Monthly readings are to be taken and the information made
available to the Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research.
During the year 200 observations of non-domestic chimneys
in the Borough were made by the Sanitary Inspectors as a result
of which six Notices were served to abate smoke nuisances.