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 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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More than five thousand lighters were inspected despite severe wintry weather in the
early part of the year.
SUMMARY OF LIGHTER INSPECTIONS FOR YEAR 1963
Number of lighters inspected 5,408
Number of lighters without any evidence 4,811
Number of lighters with old and negligible fresh
evidence 510
Number of lighters treated for rats 87
Number of dead rats recovered after treatment 732
Number of specimen rats sent to the Public Health
Laboratory, Colindale for bacteriological examination 14
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON RODENT CONTROL
The general technical pattern of rodent control which has been so successfully applied
for the past decade has been continued and the policy of unrelenting suppression by swift,
effective action maintained. The Rodent Control Scheme continues to provide the willing
co-operation required without which the measure of success achieved could not have been
attained. The enormous depredations once caused by rodents in this great seaport have been
drastically curtailed and only an occasional rat is now reported where colonies thrived before.
The population of rodents is kept to a low level by denying them as far as possible the
three main environmental essentials to breeding, viz, subsistence, harbourage and free communication.
Food and water are generally available, but progressive rodent-proofing of ships and
shore premises together with improved sanitation in the docks reduces the scope of undisturbed
breeding harbourages. No place attractive to rodents for breeding is insignificant when the
fecundity of these pests is considered.
The wide range of trading interests and transport organisation involved in the reception
and distribution of merchandise in the port makes it vulnerable to continuous rodent infestation
and therefore vigorous and systematic efforts by a competent staff, provided with the most
effective means of extermination must be maintained. Palliatives are not sufficient in this
field of pest control.
16
Table showing figures and statistics of Lighter Inspections for past ten years
| Year | No. of Lighters Inspected | % of Lighters without any Infestation | % of Lighters with negligible Infestation | % of Lighters treated | No. of rats recovered after treatment | Average No. of rats recovered per Lightertreated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 3267 | 86.8% | 11.2% | 2.0% | 427 | 6.4 |
| 1955 | 3142 | 86.1% | 10.4% | 3.5% | 820 | 7.3 |
| 1956 | 2492 | 84.0% | 11.5% | 4.5% | 689 | 6.0 |
| 1957 | 3746 | 85.3% | 10.4% | 4.3% | 849 | 10.9 |
| 1958 | 2714 | 87.9% | 8.5% | 3.6% | 797 | 8.1 |
| 1959 | 2217 | 81.0% | 13.2% | 5.8% | 723 | 5.7 |
| 1960 | 7207 | 86.3% | 12.4% | 1.3% | 552 | 5.9 |
| 1961 | 6366 | 84.9% | 13.5% | 1.6% | 848 | 8.1 |
| 1962 | 3793 | 86.8% | 11.7% | 1.5% | 483 | 8.5 |
| 1963 | 5408 | 89.0% | 9.4% | 1.6% | 732 | 8.4 |
| Average 1954-1963 | 4035 | 85.8% | 11.2% | 3.0% | 692 | 7.5 |