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Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
47
Rats and Mice Destruction.
The officer appointed by the Council to carry out the provisions
of the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, commenced duty
on the 23rd February, and from that date to the end of the year
he made 2,715 visits to premises where complaints had been
made of rat or mice infestation. 291 of the visits were in Clapham,
440 in Putney, 501 in Streatham, 497 in Tooting, and 986
in Wandsworth, and record was made of the destruction of
5,676 rats, 415 in Clapham, 542 in Putney, 1,073 in Streatham,
394 in Tooting, and 3,252 in Wandsworth.
Judging by the above results, I am of opinion that the
appointment of such an officer has been justified.
It was found necessary to serve 18 notices on occupiers of
premises which were rat infested, and these notices were complied
with, but by far the greater number of occupiers carried
out the instructions of the officer with successful results.
Some difficulty was experienced in dealing with the rat infestation
of some small areas inhabited by persons who were
unable to> pay for the services of the Rat Officer, and the Public
Health Committee gave instructions for the officer to do the
work necessary in these cases free of charge.
Very few cases of mice infestation have been brought to the
notice of the Rat Officer.
Schools.
All the elementary Schools in the Borough were inspected
as usual, and the sanitary conditions found to be satisfactory.
There is close co-operation between this Department and
the London County Council with regard to the prevention of infectious
disease at the public elementary schools. In certain
cases during the year where it was observed that the number of
cases of infectious diseases was excessive, the attention of the