London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Holborn 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
34
During 1957, 241 complaints of rat or mice infestation were received and investigated.
The following table shows the work carried out during the year arising from the complaints received, and in connection with 26 blocks which were surveyed.
| Complaint | Block Survey | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business premises inspected | 232 | 585 | 817 |
| Dwelling houses inspected | 289 | 1,213 | 1,502 |
| Local authority premises inspected | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Business premises treated | 90 | 3 | 93 |
| Dwelling houses treated | 101 | 9 | 110 |
| Local authority premises treated | 3 | — | 3 |
| Business premises, inspection visits | 227 | 587 | 814 |
| Business premises, treatment visits | 661 | 28 | 689 |
| Dwelling houses, inspection visits | 313 | 1,205 | 1,518 |
| Dwelling houses, treatment visits | 759 | 74 | 833 |
| Local authority, inspection visits | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Local authority, treatment visits | 26 | — | 26 |
| Total visits | 1,989 | 1,896 | 3,885 |
| Estimated kill (rattus norvegicus) | 138 | — | 138 |
| Bodies recovered (rattus norvegicus) | 43 | — | 43 |
| Estimated kill (rattus rattus) | 156 | 4 | 160 |
| Bodies recovered (rattus rattus) | 48 | 1 | 49 |
| Estimated kill (mice) | 1,242 | 117 | 1,359 |
| Bodies recovered (mice) | 331 | 53 | 384 |
Baiting of Sewers
Three treatments were carried out during the year, the results of which are shewn
below. In treatments Nos. 1 and 3 sausage rusk plus 2½% zinc phosphide was used,
and in treatment No. 2 sausage rusk plus 2 % Antu.
Treatment
No. of Manholes
No. of
bodies
found
No.
Date
Baited
Showing pre-bait
take
Total poison
take
1 January, 1957 226 191 147 69
2 May, 1957 221 183 128 109
3 October, 1957 236 207 191 173