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PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT, 1949 — RODENT CONTROL
Rodent control at dwelling houses and business premises is carried out by a foreman, three wholetime
and one part-time operatives working under the supervision of the District Public Health Inspectors
and in accordance with recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The foreman
and operatives attend refresher courses arranged by the Ministry from time to time to ensure that they
are properly aware of the latest methods and poisons, etc., in use.
Treatment of sewers is carried out by the Borough Engineer and Surveyor's Department. A few
instances occurred of rats breaking out from sewers via the rodding arms of intercepting traps and defective
fresh air inlet heads on the drainage systems of houses. The necessary repairs to the drains were carried out
by the householders and the Borough Engineer and Surveyor's Department advised so that disinfestation
work could be carried out in the sewers.
In the case of dwelling houses, treatment is undertaken by the Council free of charge. In the case
of business premises, a charge based upon time, cost of materials and overhead expenses, is made. An
estimate of the cost is prepared and submitted to the occupier of the business premises and it is open to
him either to accept it, engage a private specialist firm or undertake the work himself. Almost invariably
the Council's estimate is accepted.
Should an occupier elect to do the work himself, the District Public Health Inspector ensures that
the treatment is successfully carried out.
The Public Health Inspectors also took steps to deal with the following either under the Public
Health Act, 1936 or the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949. In all cases the necessary clearance or
works were carried out after the service of informal or statutory notices.
Accumulations of rubbish and discarded
materials 151
Overgrown land 6
Rat-proofing of buildings 17
All of the rat infestations were by the Common (brown) rat. Ship(black) rats have not been found
in the Borough for several years.
Details of the work carried out during the year, in the form required by the Ministry of Agriculture
Fisheries and Food, is set out in appendix 11.
An infestation is considered to be a "major" when more than 20 bodies are picked upafter treatment.
DISINFECTION
Disinfection of rooms by the use of formalin spray is carried out after the incidence of certain
notifiable infectious diseases and in the case of tubercuiosis, when considered necessary by the Chest
Physician. Bedding, clothing and library books are disinfected by arrangement with Finchley Borough
Council at that Council's disinfecting station at North Circular Road, N. 3.
During the year the following were dealt with:—
Rooms 32
Bedding and/or clothing 135
Library books 68
Parcels of clothing to be sent abroad 34
The parcels of clothing being sent abroad are required by the Governments of some countries to
be accompanied by a certificate of the local authority that they have been disinfected before dispatch.
DOMICILIARY LAUNDRY SERVICE.
A problem which arises in the case of aged and sick persons in their own homes, is the cleansing and
laundering of soiled linen and clothing.
Where such persons have no relative living with them who is able to deal with the articles, assistance
is given under Section 84, Public Health Act, 1936 as amended by Section 42, Middlesex County Council
Act, 1956.
These sections give the Council necessary authority to have the articles collected and cleansed
(laundered.)
During the year 13,240 articles were collected from the houses of 38 such incontinent persons.
The articles are collected twice weekly and returned to them after laundering.
The scheme frequently enables these people to remain in their homes instead of having to occupy
beds in hospitals which can therefore be put to more urgent and better use.
The introduction of the Ministry of Health's scheme in 1964 for the supply of incontinence pads
to patients being nursed at home may reduce the need for the laundry service
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