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Another typical complaint concerns launderettes and dry cleaning establishments. These are
frequently operated 24 hours a day and the machinery causes annoyance at night. Sound damping and
the use of flexible couplings and occasionally re-siting of the machinery has usually been the solution.
Noise from factories causes complaint particularly during the summer months when windows are
left open. Efforts are made to secure co-operation and good-neighbourly attitudes.
Building sites are now equipped with a good deal of machinery and this is frequently noisy. As a
result of persuasion noisy machinery has sometimes been exchanged for quieter machines or voluntary
restriction on the hours worked has been imposed.
All work done under contract to the Council where road breaking machinery is involved is subject
to a contract clause that mufflers should be fitted to the drills at all times.
Diseases of Animals Act 1950
The Council is the responsible local authority under the Diseases of Animals Act. Arrangements
have been made for full co-operation with the Divisional Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food, Hertford, and plans have been made to deal with any emergency which may arise.
No local emergency arose during 1967 which required any special action under this Act, but a report
on local action in connection with the widespread outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease is set out in the
following paragraph.
Foot and Mouth Disease
On Saturday 18th November, 1967 we were informed that the whole of the country not in Infected
Areas had been declared a 'Controlled Area' under the Foot and Mouth Disease (Controlled Areas
Restrictions) General Order of 1938.
This made it necessary for movement licences to accompany all animals in transit. In order that
animals could be moved into the slaughter-houses on the following Monday morning members of the
Health Department staff had to prepare licences and deliver them over the weekend to farms in South
Mimms, Barnet and Goffs Oak as the postal collection time for delivery on Monday morning had then
passed.
Subsequent applications were dealt with as a routine and licences were either collected by the
applicants or posted. Strict supervision was carried out at the slaughterhouse to ensure that no animal
was kept in lairage or moved to other places after delivery, but slaughtered forthwith. The animal
transport vehicles were also required to be thoroughly cleansed before leaving the Borough. No case of
suspected Foot and Mouth disease was observed during the period covered by the Order.
Article 10 of the Foot and Mouth Disease (Controlled Areas Restrictions) General Order required
certificates to be issuedfor slaughterhouse waste and refuse to bebrought into the Borough. Accordingly,
certificates were issued and conditions supervised in connection with such materials being brought
into other premises in the Borough from various parts of the country. Certificates were also issued
for straw and manure to be delivered to the Refuse Disposal Works where these were burned. The
conditions were rigidly enforced and the Cleansing Department co-operated in all the preventive
measures suggested by this Department. On 5th March, 1968 the Food and Mouth Disease(Controlled
Areas) Special Order No.5 of 1968 released existing controlled areas from restrictions.
Pet Shops and Animal Boarding Establishments
24 premises are licensed as pet shops and there is one licensed animal boarding establishment.
The premises were inspected by the public health inspectors, and the Council have arranged for any
necessary veterinary supervision of the premises and animals to be carried out by Mr. F.G. Buxton,
F.R.C.V.S.
Two complaints were received alleging that puppies already infected with distemper had been sold
by a pet shop. The complaints were thoroughly investigated by the Veterinary Officer and the Public
Health Inspector. This trader was advised to isolate the remaining puppies at the shop until three
weeks had elapsed, then, following their despatch, to cleanse and disinfect the premises and not to
bring in any further puppies until a further three weeks had passed. Suggestions were also made to the
proprietor for improving his records so as to facilitate the tracing of litters which might have been
exposed to infection.
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