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28
Rodent control
A section, consisting from May to September of a foreman and
three operatives and from October to April of the foreman and seven
operatives, is maintained for the purpose of repressing rat infestation
in private properties and business premises, and this section is supervised
by the senior sanitary inspector.

An estimate of the kill in this connection is no longer made.
This used to be based on the amount of poison bait taken. During
the year, as indicated in my last report, the newer type of bait, warfarin,
was used increasingly, but this bait is laid down in largish quantities
for rather long periods as it is a relatively slow-working cumulative
poison, and so it is not possible to calculate the kill from the amount
taken.
Special liaison is made twice yearly with the Borough Engineer's
department for the treatment of sewers. In 1952, treatments were
carried out from May 26 to June 23 and from November 23 to December
20. The method employed in carrying out this work was to deposit 8 oz.
prebait on the first day and if a complete take was shown, 16 ozs. of
prebait were used on the second day. Where complete takes were
shown on the second day, the poison bait deposited was double the
prebait. Where complete takes were not shown, the quantity of poison
bait used was equivalent to the quantity of prebait used on the second
day. Poison takes were recorded on the fourth dav.