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
Islington 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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Pharmacy and Poisons Acts, 1933 41.
| Number of listed sellers of Part 11 poisons, other than registered pharmacists | 201 |
| Number of visits and inspections | 67 |
| Number of initial registrations during the year | 13 |
| Number of samples taken | 4 |
| Number of samples unsatisfactory | Nil |
Arising from a visit paid to a cafe in the Borough in 1950, when the Sanitary
Inspector saw a card on which were a number of packets labelled and advertised as
"thoroughly recommended by doctors, chemists and nurses, etc.," a sample was
submitted to the Public Analyst. It was reported that the contents were aspirin,
but that the packets which contained the tablets were not labelled with the proper
designation of the contents as required by Section 11 of the Pharmacy and Medicines
Act, 1941. Upon the case being heard at the North London Police Court, the
defendant was discharged absolutely on payment of £4 4s. costs.
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949. Details of the work performed by the Rodent Control Section are given as follows:—
| Number of complaints received | 1,584 | ||
| Number of investigations carried out | 3,649 | ||
| Number of infestations found | 2,338 | ||
| (Comprising 144 business premises, 5 local authority premises, 2,189 dwellings) Number of premises baited | 2,303 | ||
| Number of smoke tests carried out to drains | 177 | ||
| Treatments carried out:— | |||
| Dwellings | 2,189 with 15,020 baits being laid | ||
| Local Authority premises | 5 with 20 baits being laid | ||
| Business premises | 109 with 1,015 baits being laid | ||
| Post-bait treatments in respect of dwellings and business premises | 3,124 with 16,590 baits being laid | ||
| 5,427 | 32,645 | ||
Number of agreements sent out 124
Number of agreements returned 109
Percentage of ship rats : 0.8 per cent. of the infestations found
It is the practice of a number of business firms to deal with their premises by
means of their own staff or servicing firms, and where this procedure is adopted,
the premises are kept under supervision to ensure that the treatment is satisfactory.
During the year, the Prevention of Damage by Pests (Shipping) Order, 1951,
came into force, and this Council is affected by virtue of the fact that a portion of
the Regent's Canal passes through the Borough.
Difficulty continued to be experienced in ridding bombed sites of rats, this
being due to a number of causes. It has been found that unsealed outlets of drains
situated under these sites is a frequent source of rat trouble. It is also difficult to
bait such areas with poison having regard to the easy access to these sites by animals,
children and birds. Completely satisfactory results are obtained only when the site
is redeveloped.