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practice as laid down in the official Handbook of Rodent Control, and circular P.D.P. 63/3
issued by the Infestation Control Division, Ministry Of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and since
adapted by commercial Pest Control firms offering their services to Local Authorities.
In a similar respect, these rodenticides have been the major factor in the position now
obtained as regards to surface rat infestations. Their use over the last fourteen years has shown
that when controlled and dispensed by a responsible person and with strict observance of the
schedule of safety precautions in the handling and laying of the made-up baits in suitable and
safe environments (which applies equally with less toxic poisons) a complete clearance can
often be made in one night with perfect safety to both man and domestic animals with the possible
exception on rare occasions of the death of a stray wild and half-starved cat from secondary
poisoning which could also occur with the use of less toxic rodenticides.
It is the essence of good practice in rodent control and indeed should be the aim of every
responsible person engaged on this facet of public health work to destroy the highest percentage
of a given infestation quickly and surely and where possible avoid the often slow painful results
by the less toxic rodenticides.
THE ANIMALS (CRUEL POISONS) ACT, 1962
This legislation which came into operation on the 12th January, 1963 empowers the Home
Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland to prohibit or to restrict the use of the poisons
for the purpose of killing animals "where the use ofsuch poisons would be cruel and unnecessary".
Under the Protection of Animals Acts 1911-27 it is an offence to put or place in or upon any
land or building any poison but, subject to certain limitations and requirements, it is a defence
that the poison was placed for the purpose of destroying insects or other invertebrates, rats, mice
or other small ground vermin.
The Act empowers the Secretary of State for Home Affairs to make regulations prohibiting or
restricting the use of cruel poisons for the purpose of destroying animals, and provides that the
defence under the 1911-27 Act will not be available in respect of poisons the use of which is
prohibited or restricted under such regulations.
The Animals (Cruel Poisons) Regulations, 1963, made under Section 2 (1) of the Act came
into operation on the 26th October, 1963, and prohibits the use of yellow phosphorus and red
squill for the purpose of destroying any mammals, and also prohibits the use of strychnine except for
moles.
The use of red squill and yellow phosphorus as rodenticides is not necessary in the conduct
of modern rodent control by competent organisations and the purchase of such in compound form
from hardware stores by the public is no longer possible, thus eliminating haphazard use by the
layman and danger to domestic animals.
MEAT AND FOOD INSPECTION - SMITHFIELD MARKET
During the year 385,337 tons of meat, poultry, etc., were delivered into Smithfield Market, an
increase of 11,831 tons over 1962.
Again it will be noticed from the attached summary that the tonnage for home-killed diseased
meat has increased by approximately 9¼ tons.
Consignments from Yugoslavia during the year were less than the previous year, and owing
to the cool summer season it resulted in less seizures for bacterial spoilage by 194¼ tons.
The new Meat Regulations, which came into force on 1st October 1963, require that all meat
shall be examined and if passed, be stamped by the Local Authority. It will be noticed from the
figures that incidence of diseased home-killed meat has not decreased as was expected but it is
hoped that after the next two years, the period allowed, there should be a definite improvement.
Fresh New Zealand Lambs. In April 1963, the first fresh lambs to be flown from New
Zealand to Smithfield, took thirty-five hours by B.O.A.C. Jet Comet. The lambs were grazing in
Auckland on the 5th April, were slaughtered, dressed and cooled, and arrived in perfect condition
on the 7th April. The object of the exercise was to prove that in the near future fresh New
Zealand lambs could be sent to Smithfield Market at the most difficult time of the year when
English and Scotch lamb is out of season (the New Zealand spring is in October and their Christmas
time is high summer). These lambs weigh approximately 32 lbs. each. It is not a commercial
proposition at the moment, but in the succeeding years it is anticipated that the fast charter
freight planes will bring a continuous flow during the winter months.
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