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51.
As a further saving in manpower, mechanical means of lifting the
inspection chambers is planned for the future, which will result in a further
saving of manpower employed on these duties, by fifty per cent. To achieve
this result the cost of equipment will be only about £60-0-0.
The result of proper planning of sewer treatment and the intensive
campaign carried out during recent years in terms of hard cash will result in
a net saving of approximately £100 a year in future years. Even so we hope
to reduce the rat population in the sewers, to even lower proportions.
As a very good example of what can be achieved, reference may be made to
an extremely heavy infestation of rats which had persisted at the Shoreditch
Borough Council's Cleansing Department yard, A great deal of time was spent
tracing the source of the infestation which was eventually traced to disused
drain connections to the sewer. These were eventually abolished and whilst
during 1960 over 400 dead rats were discovered due to intensive baiting and
trapping, no evidence of rats has been seen in this area for at least three
months, and it is considered that the problem has now been solved.
To summarise - this is a remarkable example of the value of Public
Health Inspectors achieving permanent results, devoting their energies to
tracing and abolishing the source of trouble and enabling the Rodent Staff to
devote the time which would otherwise be wasted in trapping and poisoning,
to more valuable preventative measures elsewhere.