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III. SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
Pharmacy and Poisons Act. 1933. 67 persons are entered
in the List of Persons entitled to sell Poisons included in
Part II of the Poisons List, 168 inspections and visits
were made by the sanitary inspectors during the year.
Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Acts. 155 certificates
were issued to tenants as to houses not being in a
reasonable state of repair, and 14 applications for such
certificates were Refused. 15 certificates to landlords
were issued as to houses being in a reasonable state of repair
and 28 such applications were refused.
Rats and Mice. During the year 588 complaints were received
as to nuisances from rats or mice. As a consequence
479 drains were tested and in 103 instances were found to be
defective, 406 complaints were forwarded to the Borough
Engineer & Surveyor, so that the Council's ratcatchers could
call and assist the tenants concerned. The Borough Engineer
& Surveyor has kindly supplied information as to Rat Destruction
carried out by the Council's Ratcatchers during the
year
No. of premises visited 1,260
No. of visits 18,119
No. of rats found dead 73
No. of rats caught in our traps 398*
No. of premises cleared of rats as reported
by the Occupiers 326
No. of complaints received 511
*264 of these were actually brought into the Depot
and destroyed.
The poisons used were as follows:-
Barium carbonate 49,462 cubes.
Extract of Squills 2,561 portions(2 oz)
Rat Bane(Zinc Phosphide) 72,554 portions.
“Maintenance Treatments” for destruction of Rats in
Sewers: In accordance with Local Authority Circular N.S.No.6
(dated 29th August 1944) issued by the Ministry of Food (Infestation
Division), 2 treatments for the destruction of rats
in sewers were carried out during the year, viz. from 31st
December 1945 to 6th February 1946 (inclusive) and from 17th
June 1946 to 27th July 1946 inclusive). The system adopted
was that recommended, viz. days pre-baiting and 1 day
poison baiting. The pre-bait used was damped sausage rusk and
the poison zinc phosphide (2½%). Over a thousand manholes
were treated on each occasion, at selected points throughout
the borough.
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