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work of the lady sanitary inspectors. —The two Lady Sanitary Inspectors visit cases of infectious
disease other than typhus, smallpox, puerperal fever and pyrexia, infective enteritis, summer diarrhoea and
tuberculosis, and one of them also acts in a supervisory capacity at the medicinal baths. The following table gives
an indication of the nature of their work.
Disease. No. of Visits.
Acute Rheumatism 21
Cerebro-spinal Fever 5
Chickenpox 170
Diphtheria 63
Dysentery 34
Erysipelas 27
Lice 504
Measles 942
Pneumonia 121
Scabies 2,225
ScarletFever 347
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever 2
Whooping Cough 263
Visits to Schools 70
Miscellaneous 1.276
In addition 247 visits were paid to aged and infirm persons under Section 224 of the Public Health (London) Act.
common lodging houses. —The one common lodging house in the Borough (Cecil House, 179, Harrow Road) was
open throughout the year. It is licensed to take up to sixty-nine women or children, and applications for accommodation
usually are in excess of the number of beds available. The institution is under regular supervision by a lady
sanitary inspector, who paid 59 visits during the year. Visits are also paid by one of the male inspectors to ensure
that the requirements of the Byelaws are being observed.
canal boats.—The Canal Boats Inspector visited the Paddington Basin on 64 occasions and made 39 inspections
of canal boats. All the minor defects and infringements found were dealt with informally, and it was not necessary
to serve any notices. Admission to a boat was not refused at any time. Three children of school age, and 7 under
school age were found to be living on the boats coming into the basin. No deaths, or cases of infectious disease,
occurred among the boat population.
The Grand Union Canal Company have not yet re-instituted the pre-war practice of emptying and cleaning the
Canal Basin during the Easter Holiday period, dredging now being the method used to keep the Basin clear.
rodent control.—During 1946, 465 complaints were received of nuisance from rats or mice. This is more than
double the number (227), reported during the previous year, and was undoubtedly the result of the Council's
publicity campaign.
At the request of this Department, examinations of sewer connections were carried out by the Borough Engineer
& Surveyor at 154 premises, a number of defects being found and made good.
A rather troublesome infestation of rats occurred at the Refreshment Pavilion in the Paddington Recreation
Ground, consequent on the closing down of the Council's Piggeries. Up to the end of the year the Pavilion had received
ten treatments, and the infestation was being lessened, although somewhat slowly. Two other major rat infestations
were discovered, in Shrewsbury Mews and Westmoreland Mews and although some improvement has been effected,
these infestations have not yet been cleared. Only one other rat infestation was found, this being of a " minor
secondary degree," and the few mice infestations which came to light were also of this character.
The sewers were given two treatments for the elimination of rats, 473 entrances being dealt with on each occasion,
resulting in an estimated kill of 4,000. The sewers have now received six treatments altogether, and it is computed
that nearly 16,000 rats have been accounted for.
The " Block Scheme " approved by the Ministry of Food under Circular N.S.12 was put into operation in August,
and it is intended to deal with 41 " blocks " covering about 25 per cent, of the area of the Borough. Satisfactory
progress was made, and by the end of the year 4 major rat infestations, 83 minor rat infestations and 114 minor mice
infestations had been discovered and dealt with successfully, apart from three of the rat infestations which were still
under treatment.
Although the Block Scheme was approved only for the fiscal year ending 31st March 1947, it is hoped, and expected,
that the Ministry of Food will consent to its being continued beyond that date. The satisfactory results achieved
undoubtedly warrant such a course.