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
Southwark 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]
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17
Part II of the new Act imposes upon persons carrying on
business in the manufacture, storage, transport, sale, etc., of
food and food containers an obligation to give notice to the
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of any infestation by rats,
mice, insects and other pests likely to cause damage to food, and
the Minister is empowered to direct these persons to take
specific steps to prevent or mitigate such damage to food.
This is an amendment of parts of the Infestation Order of
1943, made under the Defence Regulations. Parts of this latter
Order are also now replaced so that it is no longer necessary for
manufacturers of rat poisons, insecticides, etc., to be licensed
by the Government, although regulations may be made to
secure approved methods and substances by contractors.
| Type of Premises. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Authority | Dwellings | Business | Total | |
| Total premises | 33 | 24,455 | 4,762 | 29,250 |
| Infestations: Notified by occupiers | 2 | 872 | 210 | 1,084 |
| Otherwise found | — | 153 | 140 | 293 |
| Total | 2 | 1,025 | 350 | 1,377 |
| Infested by Rats*: | ||||
| Major | 2 | _ | 12 | 14 |
| Minor | _ | 474 | 309 | 783 |
| Mice only | — | 551 | 29 | 580 |
| Properties inspected | 6 | 1,770 | 904 | 2,680 |
| Inspections | 24 | 3,482 ? | 959 | 4,465 |
| Section 4 Notices | — | — | — | — |
| Complete treatments (excluding Blocks), by arrangement with Occupier: | ||||
| Rates* | 6 | 474 | 321 | 801 |
| Mice only | — | 551 | 29 | 580 |
| Section 5 (i): | ||||
| Rats* | — | — | — | — |
| Mice only | — | — | — | — |
| Block treatment: | ||||
| Number of blocks | — | 22 | — | 22 |
| Surface: separate occupancies | — | 1,667 | 715 | 2,382 |
| Sewers: manholes treated | — | 1,651 | — | 1,651 |
*Rats only or rats and mice.
Local Authority's premises do not include Council dwellings, which are shown
under the heading "Dwellings."
Major infestations are those estimated with more than 20 rats.