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DISIN FEST ATION
Powers to deal with filthy or verminous premises or articles and verminous
persons are contained in Sections 83 to 86 of the Public Health Act, 1936, as amended
by Sections 35 to 37 of the Public Health Act, 1961.
The Council provides a treatment centre for the cleansing and treatment of
scabetic and verminous persons and during the year 233 persons were treated, 226
for scabies and seven for pubic lice.
There were 41 requests for treatment of verminous premises but the number
remains relatively small, no doubt due to the efficiency of modern insecticides.
On a few occasions verminous bedding and clothing were treated at the
disinfecting station.
PEST CONTROL
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949, requires an occupier to notify
the local authority if his premises are infested by rats or mice, but it is the responsibility
of the occupier himself to take steps to destroy them and it is the Council's duty
to see that he does this. Nevertheless, best results are usually achieved where the
local authority undertakes rodent control as a public health service. In Enfield,
householders and occupiers of business premises can have the assistance of trained
Council staff, which ensures that suitable material and reliable techniques are used,
and that all the properties involved in any infestation are dealt with. No charge is
made for this service to householders.
Most of the complaints received concerning rats are attributable to defective
drains and sewers. When complaints are received, adjoining premises are surveyed
and, where necessary, the drains tested. In addition to 7,910 visits to premises by
the rodent control staff, 1,561 visits in connection with rats and mice were made
by the public health inspectors. In all, 3,164 premises were visited.
For surface treatments anti-coagulant poisons which, properly applied, present
no hazard to human beings or domestic animals, are used almost exclusively. In some
parts of the country developed immunity to this type of poison in causing concern
and the position in Enfield is being closely watched.
The systematic treatment of the several thousand soil sewer manholes in the
borough was commenced during the year and is progressing favourably.
Treatment of sewers is carried out firstly by test-baiting sewer manholes to
ascertain the extent of the rodent infestation. Those manholes in which the test bait
is taken are recorded and are then treated with a quick acting poison, sodium
fluoracetamide, at four-monthly intervals during the next twelve months after which
the testing and poisoning cycle is repeated. No sign of any major infestation has been
indicated.
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