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
Bromley 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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103
RODENT INFESTATION
The number of complaints relating to rats showed a substantial
decrease (32% compared with 1970). This is thought to be due
to a combination of the weather conditions obtaining during the
breeding season and to one of the cyclic changes which occur in
the rat population.
The respite enabled the staff to concentrate more on long
standing centres of infestation, such as tips, roadside banks,
verges, streams, banks etc. where disinfestation is likely to show
lasting results.
For mice, however, the number of treatments were practically
the same, showing that the increase of 38% reported last
year has been maintained.
Sewers:
Rat infestation continues at a low level and there was
evidence during the year of a further considerable reduction.
Rat infestation continues at a low level and there was evidence during the year of a further considerable reduction.
| 1. Number of properties in district | 122,388 | 323 |
| 2. (a) Total number of properties (including nearby premises) inspected following notification | 4,474 | 5 |
| (b) Number infested by (i) Rats | 1,394 | 3 |
| (ii) Mice | 359 | — |
| 3. (a) Total number of properties inspected for rats and/or mice for reasons other than notification | 541 | - |
| (b) Number infested by (i) Rats | 117 | 3 |
| (ii) Mice | 9 | 1 |
FOX CONTROL
1971 was the second year during which the Department
operated a fox control service. In the period immediately before
the operation was taken over from the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries & Food, control had lapsed, resulting in an increase in
the urban fox population. The number of complaints received
during the year at 751 shows an increase of 133 over the previous