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The keeping of chickens is the main cause of our widespread rat
infestation. It appears that no matter how careful the chicken keeper is
the rat will always be attracted to the spot where chickens are kept.
On two occasions during 1949 the sewers of the town were baited
and infestation here is slight compared with a few years ago. This
result is undoubtedly due to the fact that regular baiting has taken
place twice in each year since 1945. I believe the opinion has been
formed in other Districts that the degree of infestation at surface level
depends entirely upon the degree of infestation in the sewers. That
position does not apply, at the moment, in Beckenham. The infestation
at surface level in Beckenham is, in fact, far more widespread.
Our work in this connection is subject to the supervision of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries who make a grant towards the
cost of our schemes, and who stipulate the methods of extermination
to be employed. These methods were extremely successful at the time
of their first introduction in the early 1940's but experience leads me to
question whether the time has not come when new poisons and bait
bases should be introduced. I believe this matter is engaging the
attention of the Ministry's Research Officers.
In conclusion I would like to express my thanks to the Chief Officer
of the Department, the Medical Officer of Health, for the assistance he
has given me during the year under review ; and to my immediate
colleagues my appreciation for the loyal co-operation and assistance
they have so readily offered.
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