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Rodent Control.
Seven operatives and one Rodent Officer, working under the part-time supervision of
a Sanitary Inspector, were employed on rodent control. 1,631 premises were treated and
8,918 investigated. 12,203 visits were made for laying and checking prebaits and poison baits.
With the co-operation of the Borough Engineer's Department, two sewer campaigns
were undertaken. Despite the thorough baiting which has been given regularly twice yearly
for several years and the large number of rats killed, the takes of both poison and prebait on
each treatment indicated no substantial decrease in the number of rats using the sewers.
It should be emphasized that a large number of rats feeding in the sewer does not necessarily
mean that the sewers are in bad condition. Usually rats live in the earth surrounding sewere
and drains, to which they gain access by way of defective private drain outlets. As the Council
are aware, the Sanitary Inspectors, in conjunction with the rodent control staff, are dealing
with increasing numbers of defective drains and drain outlets. Sewer baiting is preventing
an increase of sewer rats and thereby reducing the number of surface infestations. Should the
underground infestations become large enough to cause overcrowding of the burrows the rats
would work their way to ground level.
It is considered that the treatments would be more effective if there were additional baiting
points. During 1950 special consideration is to be given to sewer baiting in St. Pancras, and
the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will co-operate.
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949.
Important changes are made in the law relating to rodents by the passing of the above
Statute which comes into force on the 1st April, 1950.