View report page

50.
RODENT CONTROL.
(Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949).
In reviewing the rodent situation in this Borough over the past ten
years, it is interesting to note that whilst at the beginning of this decade
the black rat was predominant, it is now at least seven years ago since
this type of rat was found in Shoreditch. Unfortunately the common rat then
seemed to come into prominence and therefore an intensive campaign was
conducted to get rid of this menace.
The situation as reviewed at the end of 1960 determined:—
(1) A very marked reduction in the population of rats in the
sewers in Shoreditch.
(2) Surface infestations have never been lower.
As a matter of interest, the problems now in factory premises and
warehouses in the Borough is not the rats but the mice, and our effort is
now concentrated in this direction by means of contracts. At the end of
the year contracts were operative in respect of 67 premises yielding an
annual income of £1,585.
These encouraging results must not however convey a mistaken impression
that the dramatic reduction in the rodent population in the Borough has
reduced the work of the Public Health Inspectors and the Rodent Staff, for
employing the policy that "prevention is better than cure", a vast amount
of work has been carried out and will be assiduously continued in
abolishing all disused drain connections as demolition of properties
continues, thus limiting the venue of the rats to sewers where we shall be
able to achieve even greater success, having narrowed the field of action
within the limits of the sewers.
Whilst it is considered therefore that all disused drain connections
must be abolished completely or effectively sealed from sewer3 under the
strict supervision of the Public Health Inspector , the additional work will
have its reward and undoubtedly pay a handsome dividend in the future in
providing an insurance against rat infestations on newly developed sites.
Plans are already formulated for sewer treatment during 1961 and the review
over the past three years has shown that of over 450 manholes and side
entrances to sewers in the Borough, at least one third are free from rats
and consequently it is our intention in 1961 to treat only those manholes
and side entrances which have shown any evidence of rats over the past
three years, thus reducing manpower required and expenditure by over 30% and
with no loss of results.