London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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City of London 1933

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]

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(5) Bat-proofing:—
(a) To what extent are Docks, Wharves, Warehouses, &c., rat-proof?
London and St. Katharine Docks.—Assistant Eat Officer Woodrow reports a
great improvement in the measures taken to reduce the number of rats both by
trapping and by rat-proofing. In the St. Katharine Dock the warehouses are old
and not of rat-proof construction, but the Port of London Authority carry out
trapping very effectively. The London Dock is being progressively modernized and
the new sheds and warehouses are being constructed on rat-proof lines. Trapping is
vigorously carried out with good results.
Regent's Canal Dock provides some difficulty on account of the proximity of the
Canal. For a time the Dock sheds will be clear of rats and then a new invasion will
occur. In the opinion of Assistant Eat Officer Woodrow, rats are most commonly
imported in crated goods, as he frequently observes rat-holes in the packing between
the battens forming the crates.
Surrey Commercial Docks.—Assistant Eat Officer Moody reports that the rat
population of these Docks is very small. Only one warehouse gave trouble, but
being too old a building to rat-proof it was thoroughly trapped and is now almost
free of rats. The number of rats in the timber sheds and open spaces has been reduced
partly by trapping and partly by cats which are half wild and roam about the Dock.
West India and Millwall Docks.—Assistant Eat Officer Croft reports that many
of the buildings in these Docks are old, have wooden floors and provide considerable
rat harbourage. The rat population is kept down by constant trapping and by not
storing rat attractive cargo in the oldest buildings. New construction is on rat-proof
lines.
East India Dock and Royal Victoria Dock.—Assistant Eat Officer Boult reports
that the rat population was successfully kept down by trapping and poisoning.
Attention was paid to store-rooms, and both stores and cargo were kept away from the
sides of sheds and warehouses so that evidence of rats could be seen at once and traps
be set effectively.
Royal Albert and King George V. Docks.—Assistant Eat Officer Watkins reports
that two more of the few remaining wooden floors in the Royal Albert Dock were
replaced by concrete during the year. Constant trapping and poisoning were carried
out with good results. The King George V. Dock is modern and practically rat-proof.
Tilbury Docks.—Assistant Eat Officer Wilkins reports that during the past three
years a considerable amount of rat-proofing has been carried out and the number of
rats has diminished. But the number of mice has increased because of the storage of
waste-paper in all available empty sheds. There are 35 sheds in the Dock, 20 of which
are quite free of rats, 8 show some indications of rats and in 7 sheds mice are found.
There is close co-operation between the Staffs of the Port of London Authority and
the Port Sanitary Authority, and evidence of rats is promptly reported and
recommendations are carefully followed.
(b) Action taken to extend Bat-proofing:—
(i.) In Ships:—
On the 24th November, 1933, I read before a Meeting of the Association of Port
Sanitary Authorities the following Paper, which was illustrated by lantern slides.
Every Sanitary Inspector has studied the rat-proofing of ships on the lines indicated
in the Paper and a considerable amount of useful work has been done, particularly in
the opening-up of pipe casings and other harbourages and in stopping rat runs:—
"THE EAT PROOFING OF SHIPS.
"Most of the Members of this Association are perfectly familiar with the meaning of rat-proofing
both ashore and afloat, but as there may be one or two present here to-day to whom the subject is comparatively
new, I propose, with your permission, to begin at the beginning by defining rat-proofing and
explaining its importance before I proceed to the discussion of its application in ships.