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The drainage inspectors made 3,752 visits and no circumstances were found which necessitated
legal proceedings.
During the year a re-drainage scheme was commenced at the premises of the Zoological Society of
London, Regent's Park, which involves laying a new 24-inch diameter main drain under Regent's
Canal to the London County Council Middle Level Sewer. When completed, the re-drainage will
extend throughout the Zoological Gardens.
Combined Drainage.
Eight orders under seal were issued in respect of combined drainage operations.
Sewerage.
The Borough Council's sewers are controlled and maintained by the Borough Engineer and discharge
into the main drainage system of the London County Council, who are responsible for the disposal
of sewage. During the year the re-laying of the London County Council King's Scholars'Pond Sewer
from Swiss Cottage to Wellington Place was commenced. The trunk sewer will eventually join up
with the deviated line at Wellington Place/Cochrane Street. There are no disposal plants in the
Borough.
Town Planning.
Observations were made by the Department on 177 plans submitted to the Council under the Town
and Country Planning Act, 1947.
Rodent Control.
There were 205 notifications of rats at premises in the Borough, 46 more than in the previous year,
and reports of mice declined from 366 to 314.
It having become evident that block surveys no longer justified the time and labour involved, this
routine procedure has been discontinued.
Sewers are treated by the polythene bag system at approximately eight week intervals, the bait being
applied at side entrances only. "Takes" at most points varied little from time to time but secondary
baiting was carried out wherever they were consistently "good". By these means the residual
numbers of rats in the sewers is kept to a minimum.
Statistics of rodent control are shown in Table 9, page 34.
Disinfestation.
The insecticide used to rid dwelling houses of bugs is composed of kerosene with 5 per cent. D.D.T.
and 0.1 per cent, pyrethrins applied as a spray either by hand or under pressure from a motor
compressor, according to the circumstances. This treatment is also given for flea and similar
infestations which occur from time to time. During the year, 241 rooms were disinfested and in this
connection the Public Health Inspectors made 282 visits to the 198 premises involved.
Furniture, more particularly that of people removing to fresh accommodation, is dealt with by
hydrocyanic acid gas in specially constructed vans. The Council continued to have this work done
by a contractor and during 1963 the furniture of 3 families, all of whom were being rehoused, was
treated by this method. In addition 360 verminous articles of bedding were disinfested by steam.
A small steam disinfector situated in the cleansing of persons section of Welfare Centre No. 2 is
used for the treatment of all articles up to the size of a single mattress. Arrangements with the Council
of the Royal Borough of Kensington for articles above this size to be steam treated in their plant at
Shepherd's Bush have continued to work most satisfactorily.
Verminous Persons.
The Department's Cleansing of Persons Baths in Lisson Grove dealt with 332 verminous persons:
adults 145 (men 131; women, 14); children 187 (boys 40; girls 147).
Shelter.
It was not necessary during the year to make use of the shelter accommodation provided at No.
217, Lisson Grove, under Section 195 (4) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, for families
temporarily dispossessed of their homes. The room set aside for this purpose was, however, utilised
for other public health work.
Air Pollution.
There was another substantial reduction in the number of complaints received, 43 compared with
84 in 1962; 108 in 1961 and 144 in 1960. Fewer contraventions of the Clean Air Act, 1956, were
detected, 37 against 43 in 1962; 63 in 1961 and 48 in 1960. The institution of legal proceedings
was not considered to be necessary and the offences were dealt with by verbal and written cautions
or, when applicable, by Statutory Notice.