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I notified the Ministry of Health and the London County Council. The latter sent a note of the
occurrence to all Medical Officers of Health in the County, so that persons discharged from the
Hospital between July 5th and July 8th, who developed symptoms, would be promptly recognised as
bacterial food poisoning and be controlled and treated accordingly.
(2) In January, 1949, a business house in the City who had an arrangement with a large catering
company to provide a mid-day meal for some 1,350 members of their staff, reported to me that on
three occasions during the month a large number of cases of diarrhoea had occurred.
On investigation no particular item of food could be incriminated and there was no history of
illness nor any evidence on examination to indicate that any member of the catering staff might be
the source of infection, although enquiries were pursued to a point at which the caterers began to fear
that their staff would resign.
The premises were generally satisfactory, but it was possible to arrange that conditions were
improved in a few minor respects.
It seems probable that some transient illness in some member of the catering staff, which numbered
22 men and 16 women, was responsible, though this was not confirmed.
The large staff of the business house have continued to have their mid-day meal in the same
restaurant, and no other complaints have been received.
(3) In December, 1949, I received information that 35 members of the staff of a business house
in the City had complained of illness after lunch in their own canteen.
I made a very close personal enquiry into this outbreak, inspected the canteen, interviewed
every member of the catering staff, and arranged for the examination of specimens of fæces from
nine of them.
Neither samples of food nor the specimens of faeces gave anything of bacteriological significance,
and I found it quite impossible to account for the outbreak.
Fortunately the illness was in every case quite transient and nobody was away more than 48 hours.
The canteen has continued and there has been no further trouble.
The most that could be claimed is that my personal interview with each member of the catering
staff, may have had some educational value in the matter of food hygiene.
Rat Repression.
I am indebted to Mr. J. Carter for the following report:—
Organisation and procedure during 1949 have been similar to that of previous years, and consisted
of inspections of blocks of premises to ascertain the presence of rats and mice,-treatment of any such
premises found to be infested, and periodical treatment for the destruction of rats in sewers.
A total of 2,491 premises were inspected, including blocks of offices, riverside wharves, markets,
restaurant kitchens, workshops and domestic dwellings.
During the year, 751 cases of infestation were dealt with; 7,678 operational visits were made;
91,792 pre-baits and 16,242 poison baits were laid.
These measures resulted in an estimated minimum kill of 5,046 rats, and of this number 2,113
bodies or 42 per cent. were found. The figure of 5,046 rats could reasonably be increased by 30 per
cent. as the estimated kill is calculated for the Common or Brown rat, a much bigger and heavier
animal than the Black rat, which comprises about 90 per cent. of the rat population in the City.
Trapping was the means of destroying 761 rats, and added to those found as the result of poison, a
total of 2,874 bodies were removed from premises. In addition 557 mice were found. No records are
available of the number of rats destroyed by commercial firms servicing premises under contract.
In collaboration with the Metropolitan Boroughs contiguous to the City. two maintenance
treatments of the sewers were carried out in May and December respectively. In May the estimated
kill was 1,254 rats, and in December 1,507 rats. Since December, 1943, twelve treatments have been
applied and a total estimated kill of 17,178 rats has resulted, and of this total 476 bodies were recovered
from the bases of sewer entrances. It is the purpose of these periodical treatments to check the
build-up of the common rat population in the sewers and thereby assist in preventing infestation of
surface properties from this source.
Assessing the results of this work for the period of five years since January, 1944, a retrospect of
detailed records show that in surface premises a minimum of 42,000 rats are estimated to have been
destroyed, of which 11,800 bodies were recovered. The yearly figures show a steady decline in 'the
severity of infestations treated and the number of rats destroyed.
The value of rat proofing cannot be over-emphasized, particularly against Black rats in built-up
areas such as the City. The term is a wide one, and often entails extensive repair work and structural
alteration. Equally important is incidental rat proofing. This particularly applies to food premises
and kitchens. It embraces the proper storage of food and disposal of waste, avoidance of accumulations,
and general hygiene of the premises. Lack of attention to such details has, in many instances,
been responsible for infestation.
This also applies to staffs of business houses and factories, who throw away indiscriminately waste
food and food wrappings into waste-paper baskets, behind office fittings and machines, or in out of the
way corners which are nevertheless easily accessible to rats. In such cases the occupiers are advised
to obtain metal bins in which such rat-attractive materials can be placed.
As regards method and procedure, pre-baiting and poisoning has been the principle means of
extermination, and trapping a secondary measure. The technique advised by the Infestation Branch
of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has been strictly adhered to, and the results obtained have
fully justified the time and labour spent in putting such procedure into practice.
Housing.
The total number of housing applications outstanding on December 31st, 1949, was 341, representing
856 persons. The number of families rehoused during the year was 37, representing 81½
persons. This figure includes 21 families, representing 57½ persons transferred within property under
the Corporation's control.
The Corporation approved a scheme for the erection of 45 flats, to accommodate a maximum of
197 persons, on a site in Old Kent Road, part of the Bridge House Estates.