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There were also 25 notices received from the London County
Council in respect of children suffering from Scabies. The
bedding in all these cases was disinfected on receipt of information
and again ten days later.
In addition to the cleansing of verminous rooms or premises
by owners and tenants after service of notice by the Sanitary
Inspectors, 646 rooms at 412 premises where neither tenant nor
owner could be shown to be directly responsible, were cleansed of
vermin by spraying by the staff of the Public Health Department.
During the latter half of the year, owing to the difficulties in
obtaining reliable insecticide and the apparatus to apply it with, arrangements
were made to loan hand sprayers and sell insecticide at
cost price to owners and tenants in order to assist them in clearing
their premises of vermin. Material to the value of £8 13s. 10d.
was sold for this purpose.
Rats and Mice Destruction Act, 1919.
The number of complaints received during the year of
premises being infested with rats was 374. These complaints were
effectually dealt with in most cases by the repair or reconstruction
of defective sewers, drains and sanitary fittings, under the
supervision of the Sanitary Inspectors.
In 70 cases it was necessary to serve notices under the
Act upon the occupiers of the land or premises.
Two premises were cleared under the agreement with
Messrs. Howard & Son, (Ratcatchers), under the supervision of
the Council's Sanitary Staff.
384 poison baits were provided and laid down under the
supervision of the Sanitary Inspectors. By this means 155
premises have been effectively cleared of rats and 5 premises
were under observation and treatment at the end of the year.
This method has proved to be very successful and has resulted
in the extermination of a very large number of rats without any
complaints of smells after the rats have been poisoned.