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most poisons it is necessary, according to circumstances, to prebait
with innocent material several times on every day before the
poison bait is laid. This is to gain the confidence of the rats so
that all or nearly all will take the poison bait simultaneously.
They do not thereby become bait shy which often occurs when
many poison baits are laid without prebaiting. The new preparation
can be laid without prebaiting and left as it takes five to
eight days to kill a rat and, during that time, most or all the rats
in the vicinity have taken some, not having been scared by seeing
other rats lying about dead. The new poison causes rats to
develop a haemorrhagic condition and to suffer capilliary
damage. They feel no pain nor do they undergo physiological
disturbance. As only a very low concentration is needed to kill
rats, its use materially reduces the risk of accidental poisoning
of other animals. With the exception of pigs, larger mammals
or chicken would need to eat a considerable quantity before
being harmfully affected.
Periodical meetings of workable area committees are held
at various places in the County and attended by representatives
from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. These are very
useful and enable officers in charge of rat destruction to keep
abreast of the latest information and ensures that co-ordinated
action is being taken by the various authorities.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The National Assistance Act, 1948, places a duty on Local
Authorities to arrange for the burial or cremation of any person
who has died or has been found dead and where it appears that
no suitable arrangement for the disposal of the body has been
made. Where possible the expenses so incurred may be recovered
from the estate of the deceased person or, when a death grant is
made under the National Insurance Act, sixty per cent of this
may be claimed by the authority effecting the burial or cremation.
During the year it only became necessary to bury the body
of a dead infant.
Once again the refuse tip at the Norbiton Potteries, and the
depot and pigstyes at California Road have been, more or less,
free from cricket infestation and only the minimum precautions
were called for against these pests.
During the past few years requests have been received from
householders for wasps nests to be destroyed. These are