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4,
was successfully made of an area containing 32 houses and contributed
towards a further extension of the Council's building of flats.
It will be noticed under the headings of "Rodent Infestation"
and "Eradication of Bed Bugs", that the local residents are reacting
more vigorously than was formerly the case, and helping the constant
efforts of the Sanitary Inspectors to reap greater rewards in these
directions. Not only are bugs (and scabies, for that matter) becoming
a rarity in the Borough, but there are signs that the rat and mouse
population is being depleted to an extent unprecedented in this Borough.
(This co-operation was evident even before the introduction of the
Prevention of' Damage by Pests Act placed the obligation on occupiers to
give notice to the local sanitary authority of the presence of rats or
mice).
The special survey of all public houses so thoroughly done by the
Sanitary Inspectors (under the heading "Food Hygiene" in the body of
this report) deserves special mention, and should greatly diminish
risks to the customers patronising the 147 public houses still remaining
in the Borough. The improvements made in the bakehouses, and the
provision of hot water in all food-preparing premises must also be
mentioned. The only cases of food poisoning in the Borough were an
outbreak at a school canteen (due to ignorance and defects which led
to a complete overhaul of ali these canteens oy the Borough's Sanitary
Inspectors with good results) and 5 single cases, ore due to synthetic
cream whose contamination was traced back to Belfast (details in body
of report), and the rest identified in detail but not contracted in
the Borough. Further aids to reducing food infections, such as the
sprinkling of gammexane in all dustbins when emptied, the continued
provision of free washing facilities at all public conveniences, and
strongly-worded leaflets to all food handlers, were carried out as in
previous years.
This introduction would not be complete without the expression of
my gratitude for the whole-hearted co-operation of the entire staff
of the department, who have worthily maintained the tradition carried
on for almost a hundred years. I would also like to thank your
Worship and the Council (and particularly the Chairmen and members
of the Health and Welfare Committees) for the support you have given.
Yours faithfully,
B. BROADBENT
Medical Officer of Health.