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
Finchley 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finchley]
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Summary of Infestations
| Rats | Mice | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Visits in connection with infestations | 4285 | 1037 | |
| Number of confirmed infestations | 324 | 149 | |
| Prebaits | 4985 | — | |
| Zinc Phosphide | POISONS | 289 | 20 |
| Arsenic | 57 | — | |
| Red Squill | 24 | — | |
| A.N.T.U | 60 | — | |
| Barium Carbonate | 6 | — | |
| Warfarin | 246 | 131 | |
Twelve smoke tests were applied to rat runs, revealing defects
in drains or sewers at two premises.
During the year, Warfarin has been used in connection with
the destruction of rats and mice, and has proved to be very successful.
A complaint of rats and mice was received from a large
factory. A servicing firm had been employed at these premises
for many years and there is no doubt that a poison prejudice had
been set up by inefficient work. This prejudice caused a great
amount of unnecessary work, but, although at the end of the year
the premises were not free from rats, the number of rats within
the curtilage was considerably reduced.
I am pleased to report that the Sewage Works and Refuse
Destructor are now practically free from rats:
50