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
Richmond upon Thames 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond upon Thames]
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Borough of Hammersmith, and to Mr. F. G. Baldwin, Superintendent of the Baths, for
their valuable assistance during the year.
7 patients received treatment against scabies. In addition the bedding of 14 further
cases, who were treated by their family doctor, was cleansed. In one incident where
patients were students in a residential college, it was thought desirable to cleanse over
100 blankets.
28 people were treated for lice infestation, some of whom received more than one
treatment during the year.
2 premises were disinfected following infectious diseases and 186 premises dis¬.
infested. Costs amounting to £455 4s. Od. were recovered.
7. PEST CONTROL
(a) Rats and Mice.
Once again reports of rat and mice infestations received by the Department aver' aged out at over 5 complaints in each working day of the year and showed no reduction on the previous two years.
| 1970 | 1969 | 1968 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of complaints received | 1360 | 1347 | 1353 |
| Number of infestations found | 1074 | 1091 | 1040 |
| Total number of visits by rodent control staff | 10401 | 10748 | 8444 |
Most of the infestations were in or around private dwellings (86%) and the
majority of the reports concerned rat infestations (879), mice producing only 195
complaints.
A total of 3,962 premises were inspected for rodent infestation during the year.
The total number of visits made by the rodent control staff showed some reduction
over the previous year. This was almost entirely due to the staff being compelled to
use public transport or to operate on foot for more than a month due to certain
difficult industrial relations.
In last year's report I made reference to the value of the concentrated attack on
the sewer rats in the Richmond/Barnes area using fluoracetamide in four direct poison'
ing treatments. The result had been a marked reduction in the rat population of the
sewers as revealed by the annual test baiting programme. It was decided to continue
the quarterly treatment in 1970 but, in the event, this was reduced to three. In the
Twickenham sector the usual procedure of two treatments in the year was continued.
In December the routine testing programme revealed a somewhat changed situation.
A total of 453 manholes on the soil sewerage system of the Borough i.e. about 13%,
were tested for the presence of rats (71 in Barnes, 154 in Richmond and 228 in Twickenham).
The results indicated an increase in activity over 1969. In Richmond/Barnes
the percentage of baits taken increased from 2.4% in 1969 to 4.8% despite a total
absence of takes in the Barnes sewers tested. In Twickenham the increase was of a
more disquieting size from 3% in 1969 to 15% in 1970 (35 out of 228 manholes).
This increase in Twickenham after several years of low activity is disappointing and
suggests that quarterly treatments should be maintained throughout the Borough if
the rapid natural increase in the sewer rat population is to be countered.
An increase of the rodent control staff by one operative in April opened up possi'
bilities for a serious campaign upon the reservoir areas of rat infestation including the
systematic and permanent treatment of such areas as parks, open spaces, derelict land,
river banks, etc. A start was made on the time-consuming survey work when the
resignation of one operative called a halt. No replacement could be obtained during
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