London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Chislehurst 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chislehurst]
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47
rat proofing. During an adjournment of the case, the proprietor
carried out the necessary works.
SEWER INFESTATION.
In addition to the work above ground, the routine task of
treating the Council's sewers is a considerable undertaking.
Sewers, especially old lengths, form an ideal breeding place for
rats and serve as a means of disseminating infestation. In the
early part of each year a test is made at one manhole in ten
throughout the district. On the results of this test, lengths found
to give signs of infestation are baited and poisoned in the spring
and again in the autumn.
The degree of infestation is judged by the quantity of bait taken from the points in the manholes. The results for 1962 are as follow:—
| Number of Manholes treated | No. of manholes in which | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Complete " takes'" | Partial takes" | "No takes" | ||
| Test Bait (March) | 151 | 26 | 64 | 61 |
| 1st Maintenance Treatment (May) | 148 | 32 | 61 | 55 |
| 2nd Maintenance Treatment (Oct.) | 151 | 25 | 42 | 84 |
Compared with 1961 the position shows some small improvement.
SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE AREA.
| Total number of Inspections and Visits | |
|---|---|
| Housing | 4,386 |
| Infectious Diseases | 186 |
| Food Premises, Sampling, etc | 2,411 |
| Factories, Outworkers, etc. | 250 |
| Moveable Dwellings | 229 |
| Smoke Abatement | 3,185 |
| Shops Act | 430 |
| Rodent Control | 875 |
| Public Conveniences | 810 |
| Petroleum Acts | 147 |
| Miscellaneous | 593 |
| 13,502 | |
| Written Notices issued:— | |
| Preliminary: | |
| General Sanitary Defects | 103 |
| Food Premises | 29 |
| Shop Premises | 18 |
| Factories, etc | 7 |
| Rodent Control | 10 |
| Clean Air Act Notices | 13 |
| Noise Abatement | 3 |
| Diseases of Animals (Waste Food) Order, 1957 | 1 |
| Statutory: | |
| Public Health Act | 6 |
| Rodent Control | 1 |