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16.
Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919.
Infestation Order, 1943.
In exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Regulations of the
Defence (General) Regulations, 1939, the Minister of Pood made an Order - The
Infestation Order 1943, dated 6th May, 1943, which, in effect, required every
Local Authority in England and Wales to whom directions shall be given by the
Minister under the Order to perform in its area certain functions.
Those functions included, the making of comprehensive reports to the
Minister with respect to the extent to which land in its area is subject to
infestation by rats and mice, end to the measure which the Local Authority have
taken or propose to take to remedy rat infestation.
The remedying of such infestation of land in the area of the Local
Authority, and, the enforcement when so required by the Minister of any directions
in relation to the remedying of such infestation given by the Minister to any
occupier, undertaker or other person in that area,
The Minister had in view the delegation of powers - those powers at
present are the responsibility of the County Councils and Port Sanitary Authorities
from the County Councils to the Local Authorities, and in October launched a
Publicity Campaign by newspaper advertisements, poster displays, distribution of
leaflets, and the reporting to Local Authorities of the presence, at any place, of
rats and mice.
At the end of the period covered by this report, no directions by the
Minister to perform in Hendon the functions under this Order had been given,
HENDON EMERGENCY HOSPITAL.
ACCOMMODATION
The low rate of incidence of notifiable infectious disease which had
been maintained throughout the war, no longer continued, as Scarlet Fever,
fortunately in the main of a mild type, became prevalent. The accomodation which
had been reduced to 72 beds was not entirely sufficient to deal with this situation
and extra accommodation had to be provided by reducing the bed space normally
allotted for the isolation of infectious diseases. It was also necessary for a