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
Kingston upon Thames 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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12. ERADICATION OF BED BUGS.
During the year 30 premises were disinfested. Fifteen of
these were houses under the control of the Corporation.
13. COMPLAINTS.
The number of complaints received from the general public
during the year was 442 compared with 424 for the previous year.
The following is a brief list of causes for complaints received during 1959:-
| Sanxtary defects | 75 |
| Ashblns | 2 |
| Rodents | 154 |
| Drains and sanitary arrangements | 72 |
| Overerowding | 3 |
| Food | 44 |
| Nuisance from Smoke | 11 |
| Defective Yards and Paving | 2 |
| Insect Pests | 30 |
| Accoumulations | 11 |
| Animals | 3 |
| Water | 2 |
| Others | |
| 442 |
14. RODENT AND INSECT PEST CONTROL.
During the year no legal action was required under the
provisions of the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949. This
is a very pleasing state of affairs and is an indication of the
co-operation which exists between the department, householders
and business people.
A good liaison is maintained, through servicing agreements,
between the department and the majority of commercial and
industrial interests in the town. The work is carried out with
efficiency and economy and this service is much appreciated.
With regard to domestic properties, many of the infestations
are due to accumulation of rubbish and unwanted articles
such as prams, bedsteads, cycles, odds and ends of furniture
and furnishings, and other items not normally collected by the
refuse collectors. Arrangements should be made to assist
householders by making special collections of this type of
material.
Effective control was sought by a thorough inspection of
buildings in thirty-seven different blocks. This is known as
'block control'.
Sewers - The second and third treatments in a series of
four commenced in 1958 were given during the year, and test
baiting of the whole sewer system prior to the fourth treatment
was commenced in the area north of the railway to ascertain
the efficacy of the baiting which had been carried out using
sodium fluoracetate. The sewer system north of a line drawn
from Lower Ham Road along King's Road to Queen's Road showed
that no rats were using the main system in that area. Whether
rats are in the branch drains is a matter for conjecture and
can only be ascertained by inspection at each house. It is
significant, however, that no surface infestation has been
found in this area attributable to defective drains.