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The Gas Supplies are run to individual flats, but the metering of the Old People's Flats
and the Administration Block are controlled from the Central Boiler House. The flats on the
upper floors have "Slot" Meters.
The Electrical Supply Company have installed a Sub-station in the Basement adjoining the
Boiler House which controls the Electric Lighting and Power throughout the buildings. The
system is so arranged that the charges for the Old People's flats, the Administration Block and
the flats on the upper floors are kept separate. Time switches are installed to control the
Staircase, Balcony and Courtyard lighting respectively; these can be set to switch off the lights
at a given time each evening.
A Central Wireless receiving set is installed in the Switch Room to provide a choice of three
programmes to the loudspeaker in the Kitchen Units in each flat. The sick bay has earphone
connections at each bed.
Electric fans connected to ducts extract steam and cooking smells from the Laundries
and Kitchens.
The Corporation have every reason to take pride in having become the owners of Isleden
House and to be grateful to the Trustees of the London Parochial Charities for transferring
it on such generous terms.
RODENT CONTROL
Rodent control is a public health measure the importance of which is apt to be under-rated,
and I make no apology for devoting year by year a section of my annual report to this subject.
My interest in the control of rat infestation dates from my days as a port medical officer,
plague being a disease of rats communicable to man, and the prevention of the spread of
plague from port to port being largely a matter of the control of rat-infestation in ships. As
Medical Officer of Health of the City I have retained my interest because, not only are rats
and mice potential carriers of food poisoning organisms, but they cause the waste of very
large quantities of food, not only by what they eat, but by what they soil and the damage they
do to containers from which food consequently escapes.
You have a competent team of rodent operatives under the Chief Rodent Officer, Mr. Carter,
and I am pleased to record that I have received a number of spontaneous tributes to their
efficiency and integrity.
Mr. Carter's report of the year's work is as follows: —
Organisation and procedure during the year was similar to that of previous years, and in
compliance with the provisions of the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949, comprised
inspections of properties to ascertain the presence of rats and mice, treatment of any such
properties found to be infested, and periodical maintenance treatment for the destruction of
rats in the sewers.
It has always been the policy to seek the co-operation of occupiers and owners of property,
and the response to this approach has been satisfactory. No difficulty has arisen in which it has
been necessary to resort to statutory action to resolve the problem.
A major proportion of the work consisted of inspecting defined areas for the purpose of
instituting collective action. In cases of individual notification of infestation, or request for
assistance in control measures, the property adjoining was also inspected and combined action
taken where necessary.
On the survey side of the work 5,601 occupancies and properties were inspected, and types
of properties rangecl from large blocks of offices, riverside food warehouses, catering establishments,
factories and shops, to domestic dwellings. The time expended on inspection of large
blocks is very considerable, and although often with negative result, it is necessary for the
success of collective action.
A total of 637 infestations of rats and mice were treated, and of this number 295 were
notifications and 342 the result of inspection. The infestations comprised 25 major and 238
minor infestations of rats, and 111 major and 273 minor infestations of mice. The rat infestations
were in the main of Ship rat (Black) nature. Treatment of these infestations entailed 7,582
visits for operational purposes.
A minimum of 1,572 rats were destroyed as the result of poison, and 752 bodies were
recovered. Trapping resulted in the destruction of 241 rats. The use of the anti-coagulant
Warfarin in the treatment of mice infestation resulted in 925 dead mice found. No records are
available of the results obtained by Pest Control firms servicing premises periodically.
The downward trend of rat infestation has continued and a further decline in the number
of infestations, and numerical density has been experienced. There is a 50% reduction of
major infestations (20 rats or over) and a 15% reduction in the minor classification. Infestation
of common rat nature in surface properties was again on an extremely minor scale, and during
the year only three such infestations were found and treated.
There is, however, a steady increase in mice infestation, and this appears to coincide with
the decrease in rat infestation. In many instances premises treated in the past for rats have
remained free of that type of infestation, but have become subject to mice infestation. The
increase in the number of catering establishments and the installation of staff canteens in office
properties is conducive to this nuisance. The nucleus of mice infestation is often imported
into these premises in sacks of vegetables and cases of eggs, etc.
Many of the complaints are from offices and the cause is generally traced to the careless
or thoughtless disposal of food scraps. It is a common occurrence to find food wrappers, orange
and apple peelings and odd scraps behind furniture and in inaccessible places. Alternatively
it is put into waste paper baskets, where it is left all night, attracts mice and provides the
necessary sustenance to maintain a colony.