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
Shoreditch 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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30
PREVENTION OF DAMAGE PY PESTS ACT, 1949.
RODENT INFESTATION
The work of this important branch of Public Health was carried
out by a staff consisting of one Supervisor, one Investigator and
two Operatives, under the general control of the Chief SanitaryIns
poet or,
The main rodent infestation in the Borough is by the ship
rat.. A regular system of investigation is carried out by the
Investigator who makes the initial inspection and assesses the
degree of infestation. During the year 687 inspections of investigation
were made. Eusiness premises treated totalled 307 against
271 in 1951, and dwelling houses treated numbered 742 against 690
in 1951.
During the year 3 Notices ware served under the Prevention of
Damage by Pests Act, 1949;, and in all cases were complied with.
The maintenance treatment of the sewers in the Borough was
carried out during t'^e period under revievr, the first in May, 1952
and the sccond commencing in November, 1952.
The following table gives a summary of work carried out in connection with rodent infestation.
| Business Premises Rats | Rats | Dwellings Mice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints received | 107 | 179 | 257 |
| Complaints attended to | 107 | 179 | 257 |
| Inspections | 214 | 237 | 514 |
| Treatments commenced Reinspections | 276 993 | 316 1,180 | 426 1,655 |
| Pre-baits laid | 11,730 | 2 880 | 5,609 |
| Poison baits laid | 3, 910 | 977 | 1.840 |
| Warfarin trays laid | 2,411 | - | |
| Traps set | 232 | 560 | 916 |
| Estimated kill | 2,493 | 382 |
* No estimate of mice destroyed can be given.
Sewers.
No of Manholes baited
Complete takes - pre-bait
- poison bait
Partial takes - pre-bait
- poison bait
795 No takes-pre-bait
44 No takes - poison
Nil bait
334
352 Estimated kill
417
443
2,036
The Agreements (H. D. R3 BP) received and charged to business
premises during 1952 amounted to £607.5s.