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
Sutton and Cheam 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Sutton and Cheam]
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(6) Methods employed in clearing five hundred and two
premises of rats and mice:-
warfarln and Poison Baits 499
Trapping 1
Gassing 3
Rat and Mouse Proofing 2
Drains repaired 7
Other means 2
TOTAL 514
B - SEWER TREATMENTS
(1) Treatment No. 20 - Second Maintenance Treatment (1955-1956)
The second maintenance treatment of soil sewer-manholes
in areas found to be infested during the previous treatment was
completed on the 24th March, 1956.
Prebaltlng with damped sausage rusks was carried out on
two consecutive days and the same bait base with 2½% Zinc
Phosphide added was laid on the third day with the following
results:-
SECTIONS
| A | B | C | D | E | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Manholes pre-balted | 70 | Not Baited | 87 | 66 | 66 | 289 |
| Complete prebalt takes | 3 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 20 | |
| Partial prebalt takes | 14 | 19 | 24 | 19 | 76 | |
| Percentage of takes (C.&P.) | 24.2 | 34.4 | 37.8 | 36.3 | 33.2 | |
| Number of manholes poison baited | 24 | 40 | 37 | 37 | 138 |
The number of prebalt takes shows an Increase of 5% on the
previous maintenance treatment.
(2) Test Baiting (1956-1957)
The Borough was divided into five sections, as in previous
tests, and a test baiting of 10% of the soil-sewer manholes in
areas previously cleared or thought not to be infested was
carried out during the month of August.
All the manholes baited were checked three days after the baits had been deposited, with the following results:-
| A | B | C | D | E | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of manholes baited | 14 | 21 | 53 | 66 | 34 | 188 |
| Complete bait takes | - | - | 8 | 5 | 5 | 18 |
| Partial bait takes | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 |
| Baits not taken | 13 | 21 | 44 | 59 | 27 | 164 |
| Baits washed off | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 3 |