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33
RODENT CONTROL
Surface Treatment
During the year 1951, treatment of the Borough in accordance with
the recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries continued.
Complaints received by this Department are set out below:—
1951
1950
Rats
196
Mice
143
Rats
247
Mice
102
It will be seen that the trend towards increasing mice and decreasing
rat complaints continues. The rat complaints all refer to common rat,
no evidence of ship rat having been found in Stoke Newington.
The decrease in the number of rat complaints is gratifying and can
be considered to be the direct result of the energetic measures by the
Borough Council in tracing the source of rat nuisance by opening up
defective drainage. In at least 75% of rat complaints, the nuisance can
be directly attributable to this cause. Whilst baiting the premises can
deal with the immediate nuisance, it will be appreciated that the real
solution is to find the source of the rat and deal with the defective drain.
The increase in the number of complaints of mice is due to the
increasing awareness on the part of the public to the fact that infestation
must be notified to the Borough Council, and also that free effective
treatment can be obtained by consultation with the Town Hall. In this
respect, the new poisons which are being marketed appear to be very
effective in dealing with the nuisance from mice where the existing range
of poisons and baits was not securing complete clearance.