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
Holborn 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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35
Rodent Control
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949
This Act lays a duty upon a local authority to see that their district is kept free from
rats and mice. It empowers them to carry out inspections and to require owners and
occupiers to keep their land and premises free from infestation. Occupiers are required
to give notification in writing of infestation by rats or mice to the local authority.
| Type of Property | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Authority | Dwelling Houses | Agricultural | All other (including Business and Industrial) | Total | ||
| 1. Total number of properties in Local Authority's District | 13 | 6,016 | — | 7,309 | 13,338 | |
| II. Number of properties inspected as a result (a) of notification (b) survey, or (c) otherwise | (a) 2 | 86 | — | 94 | 182 | |
| b) 1 | 119 | — | 664 | 784 | ||
| (c) - | 30 | — | 37 | 67 | ||
| III. Total inspections carried out including re-inspections | 18 | 823 | _ | 1,254 | 2,095 | |
| IV. Number of properties (under II) found to be infested by:— | ||||||
| (a) Rats | Major* | — | — | — | — | — |
| Minor† | — | 31 | _ | 19 | 50 | |
| (b) Mice | Major* | _ | 7 | 7 | ||
| Minor† | 2 | 39 | — | 46 | 87 | |
| V. Number of infested properties (under IV) treated by the Local Authority | 2 | 70 | — | 65 | 137 | |
| VI. Number of notices served under Section 4— | ||||||
| (1) Treatment | — | — | — | — | — | |
| (2) Structural works (i.e. Proofing) | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | |
| VII. Number of cases in which default action was taken by Local Authority following issue of notice under Section 4 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| VIII. Legal Proceedings | — | — | — | — | — | |
| IX. Number of " block" control schemes carried out | 16 " blocks " surveyed. | |||||
* "Major " includes properties with an estimated population exceeding 20 rats or mice,
† "Minor " includes properties with an estimated population not exceeding 20 rats or mice.
During 1960, 182 complaints of rat or mice infestation were received and investigated.