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
City of London 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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24
V.— MEASURES AGAINST RODENTS.
These remain as described in my Report for 1933.
The results as shown in Tables "E," "F," "G" and "H," do not for this year
call for any special comment.
In December I reported as follows to your Worshipful Committee:—
''Weil's Disease or Infectious Jaundice is a severe form of fever usually associated
with jaundice and enlargement of the liver and due to a spirochaete, Leptospira
icterohcemorrhagice.
"The natural reservoir of the infection is the rat which excretes the organism
in the urine and faeces without being itself apparently ill. Human infections therefore
arise amongst persons who come into close contact with material soiled by rats.
Cases have been recorded in this country among miners, sewer workers and fish
workers.
"Recent work suggests that there are many mild and some severe unrecognised
cases and methods of prevention are under investigation.
"It has been suggested that rats caught ashore and in ships in the Port of London
should be examined to ascertain whether they are carriers of the infecting organism.
"Your worshipful Committee agreed that an investigation of the incidence of
Leptospira icterohcemorrhagiœ in rats caught alive in the Port should be undertaken
during 1937."
Rats Destroyed during 1936.
TABLE E. (1) On Vessels.
| Number of | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | April. | May. | June. | July. | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Total in Year. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Rats | 110 | 74 | 90 | 82 | 49 | 67 | 66 | 56 | 117 | 94 | 99 | 66 | 970 |
| Brown Rats | nil | 1 | 2 | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | 8 | nil | nil | 2 | 13 |
| Species not Recorded | 199 | 452 | 235 | 203 | 287 | 265 | 442 | 154 | 578 | 327 | 323 | 520 | 3,985 |
| Rats examined | 110 | 75 | 92 | 82 | 49 | 67 | 66 | 56 | 125 | 94 | 99 | 68 | 983 |
| Rats infected with Plague | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil |
See also Appendices xx. and xxi.
TABLE F.
(2) In Docks, Quays, Wharves and Warehouses.
| Number of | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | April. | May. | June. | July. | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Total in Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Rats | 110 | 170 | 92 | 56 | 49 | 64 | 53 | 60 | 47 | 90 | 79 | 43 | 913 |
| Brown Rats | 32 | 43 | 54 | 42 | 64 | 26 | 63 | 52 | 61 | 99 | 38 | 38 | 612 |
| Species not Recorded | 220 | 322 | 273 | 245 | 422 | 301 | 242 | 386 | 325 | 366 | 231 | 158 | 3,491 |
| Rats examined | 142 | 213 | 146 | 98 | 113 | 90 | 116 | 112 | 108 | 189 | 117 | 81 | 1,525 |
| Rats infected with Plague | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil | nil |
RATS EXAMINED—Vessels, Docks, Quays, &c 2,508
See also Appendices xx. and xxi.