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In man the disease is rare but may be fatal. One case came
to the knowledge of this department during the year in the person
of an adult male. Investigation into the source of the infection
showed that he had been cleaning the household drains some
days previous to the onset of symptoms. Slight rat infestation
was found in the vicinity and immediate steps were taken to
repress the rodents. Fortunately the sufferer made a complete
recovery.
Rodent control work is carried out by a Senior Rodent
Officer and 6 Rodent Officers. The extermination of rats at dwelling
houses is carried out free of charge, and as large an area as
is practical in the vicinity is treated at the same time.
A charge based on the cost of time and materials is made
for the extermination of mice in dwelling houses, and a similar
charge is made for the extermination of both rats and mice at
business premises.
There were 1,836 premises visited and treated as a result of
complaints, 71 of these being for mice. Following these complaints,
and also as a result of routine surveys, a further 3,342
premises were visited and 1,026 were found to be infested by rats.
Treatment of infested premises involves an initial inspection and
baiting and follow-up visits to ascertain either the need for
further baiting or to establish that the infestation has been cleared.
A maintenance treatment of the sewers was undertaken in
October, 1965; this was based on the results obtained at the last
treatments carried out by the constituent authorities some of
whose programmes had been restricted due to the pressure of the
abnormal circumstances existing prior to the amalgamation. One
hundred and eighty manholes were baited with Warfarin at which
there were 37 complete takes and 146 partial takes.
Towards the end of the year preparations were made for a
full scale test-baiting in the Spring of 1966 to be followed by a
poison treatment.
PIGEON DESTRUCTION
Section 74 of the Public Health Act, 1961, gives local
authorities power to take steps to reduce the numbers of pigeons
in built-up areas so as to abate or mitigate the nuisance or damage
caused by them. The former constituent authorities of Penge and
Beckenham employed a contractor to do the work on a part-time
basis. The contracts were carried on after 1st April, 1965, the
work still being confined to the area of the two authorities mentioned.
422 premises were visited and an estimated 3,700 pigeons
destroyed.
Complaints received from other parts of the district indicated
the need to extend the service to the whole Borough and