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
Heston and Isleworth 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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RATS AND MICE DESTRUCTION.— Up to February, 1944, when the powers and duties under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, were transferred to the Borough Council, Middlesex County Council was the responsible Authority. To deal with this work a Rodent Officer and two operatives were appointed, and a summary of the work is given below:—
| 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints received | 227 | 208 | 240 |
| Block inspections | 6 | 38 | 59 |
| Individual inspections | 695 | 1,321 | 1,492 |
| Individual re-inspections | 146 | 243 | 322 |
| Other visits | 191 | 110 | 248 |
| Premises treated (a) by occupiers | 88 | 82 | 136 |
| (b) by Local Authority | 317 | 446 | 660 |
The responsibility for keeping premises free from rats and mice rests with the occupiers. If they are
unable or do not care to undertake the necessary work themselves the services of the Council's operatives
are available on payment on a time and material basis. Not only must the rats on the premises be dealt
with, but also the conditions encouraging their presence if recurrence of infestation is to be avoided.
By whatever means rats and mice gain access to premises their continued presence there is generally
due to conditions on the premises which provide food and/or harbourage, and it is proper that the
occupiers should be required to do something about it. Test baiting and, where necessary, treatment
is carried out to sewers, watercourses, tips, etc., but unless occupiers take active measures to discourage
rats little progress will be made towards eradication.
HOUSING
During the war years action in regard to houses incapable of being rendered in all respects fit for human habitation at a reasonable cost was largely suspended except for keeping them wind and weatherproof and to-day the shortage of houses is such that houses suitable for demolition have to be retained. The housing shortage is causing physical, mental and moral strain and until this can be relieved by the provision of new houses action in regard to slum clearance must be postponed. Attention is being given to making good the deterioration in houses arising from the restrictions and difficulties of maintenance during the war years, but progress is slow because labour and materials are still scarce. A summary of the work done in connection with housing is given below:—
| New houses erected— | 1939 | 1940 | 194l | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) by Local Authority | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 196 |
| (b) by private enterprise | 278 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 |
| Houses inspected | 478 | 260 | 256 | 308 | 380 | 249 | 352 | 718 |
| Defective houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action | 247 | 184 | 246 | 273 | 266 | 162 | 156 | 152 |
| Defective houses rendered fit in consequence of statutory action | 27 | 35 | 29 | 33 | 65 | 68 | 45 | 150 |
| Houses in respect of which Demolition Orders were made | 35 | 14 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Houses demolished in pursuance of Demolition Orders | 43 | 12 | 4 | — | 9 | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| Houses rendered fit in consequence of undertaking given by owner | 12 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which Closing Orders were made | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Houses demolished voluntarily | 14 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Houses in respect of which undertakings not to re-let accepted from owner | 21 | 19 | — | 1 | 9 | — | — | — |
| Houses known to be overcrowded (Housing Act standard) at end of year | 69 | 69 | 72 | 77 | 79 | 78 | 80 | 84 |
| New cases of overcrowding reported | 5 | — | 3 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Cases of overcrowding relieved during year | 41 | — | — | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
At the end of 1946 there were occupied 55 houses in respect of which Demolition Orders have been made
or undertakings not to re-let accepted from the owners. The above record cannot be accepted as a true
picture of overcrowding as such could be obtained only by a census or survey of all houses. The Housing
Act standard is a house and not a bedroom standard and therefore presents a picture very different from
the usual concept of overcrowding. The average number of new houses erected annually in the Borough
during the years 1931-38 was 1,330 and though that rate of development would probably have not been
maintained the loss due to the war must be considerable and will take some time to make good.
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