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Pharmacy & Poisons Act, 1933.—At the end of the year the Register contained 80 entries, the same number as
for the previous year. Inspections numbered 476.
Work of the District Inspectors.— Five Inspectors were engaged throughout the year on district work. The
number of complaints of all kinds dealt with was 1,812, against 1,550 for 1943. Inspections numbered 12,694.
Legal proceedings were instituted in 21 cases for offences under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, or for
contraventions of the Byelaws.
Work of the Women Sanitary inspectors.—Visits in connection with infectious disease numbered 4,135. This is
exclusive of tuberculosis visiting, which is now done entirely by the staff of the Paddington Tuberculosis Dispensary,
1,486 miscellaneous visits were also recorded, which include visits to schools, aged persons, and the common
lodging house for women at 179, Harrow Road. One of the women sanitary inspectors is also engaged in supervisory
work at the medicinal baths.
Food Supervision.
Sampling.—Five hundred samples were taken for analysis, and of these, 3 informal samples were found
to be adulterated (0.6%). One hundred and sixty-six of these samples were of milk, and only one (0.6%) was
found to be not genuine. Legal proceedings were taken in one instance in respect of the sale of scones which
were unfit for human consumption. The summons was dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act, five
guineas costs being awarded to the Council.
Unsound Food.—The weight of diseased and unsound food surrendered by tradesmen and dealers for
destruction was approximately 16½ tons, and just over four tons were rendered unfit for consumption on account
of enemy action.
Slaughtering.—No slaughtering takes place in the Borough now, but three slaughtermen's licences
issued by the Council are in force. The issue of a licence by any particular authority enables a slaughterman to
perform his work in any district.
Inspections.—During the year 502 inspections were made of the premises from which milk is sold or
distributed, and 4,488 inspections of other food premises. At the end of the year the register showed that there
were in the Borough 59 Dairies, 57 Purveyors of Milk, and 855 other Food Premises.

Six samples of "Pasteurised" milk were taken and these all complied with the prescribed conditions.
There are no Pasteurising plants in the Borough, neither is there any bottling of "Tuberculin Tested" milk.
Rats & Mice.—One hundred and ninety-one complaints of rats were received during 1944 (against 250 for the
previous year) and were dealt with by the District Sanitary Inspectors. Where necessary, examinations were made
by the Borough Engineer and Surveyor of the sewer connections of houses affected, and also of adjoining
premises, any defects found being made good.
Mr. Harrison, Food Inspector and Rodent Officer for the Borough, reports that during the year 1944, only
a minor secondary degree of rat infestation was found in the food and other premises situated in the Borough of
Paddington. This condition also applied in the case of mice.
Where infestations were found, the usual method of prebaiting followed by poison baiting was employed.
Trapping was also resorted to in certain cases.
During the year and in accordance with a Direction served on the Council by the Ministry of Food, the
sewers were given two maintenance treatments for the elimination of rats. The first treatment took place in
January, when 559 entrances to the sewers were dealt with and the estimated kill was 2,273 rats. The second
treatment occured in December, when 394 entrances were treated and the estimated kill was 2,325. Altogether
three treatments have now been given and the estimated number of rats killed is 9,353. The executive part of
this work was carried out by the Sewers Section of the Borough Engineer's Department; the materials for baiting
were provided by this Department, whilst Mr. Harrison superintended the mixing of the baits and acted
throughout in an advisory capacity.