[Report 1960] / Medical Officer of Health, West Lancashire R.D.C.

  • West Lancashire (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1960
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1960] / Medical Officer of Health, West Lancashire R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/48 (page 35)
    CLEAN AIR ACT, 1956 Regular inspections of furnace installations in industrial establish¬ ments and observations for smoke emissions are carried out. Generally these emissions are well within the permitted limits of colour and density. Of the establishments which were granted exemption certificates the previous year, one completed the works of improvement and the other converted from steam to electric power. Several applicants were granted Certificates of Approval where new boilers had been installed. Smokeless fuels are extensively used for soil sterilisation and heating in the horticultural areas, and a considerable improvement has been noted. THE PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT, 1949 It is the duty under this Act for every Local Authority to secure as far as is practicable that their area is kept free from rats and mice, and to enforce the duties of owners and occupiers under its provisions. The Council employ one full time Rodent Operative whose duties include the survey of premises and the destruction of the vermin. Good results cannot be achieved without the co-operation of the public, and this is partly achieved by providing free service to private householders. Owners or occupiers of other premises or lands are required to re¬ imburse the Local Authority for all expenditure incurred. Many complaints received during the year were from private house¬ holders on partly built housing estates where rats had been disturbed during the building operations. The banks of the many open ditches are excellent sites of infestation, especially if poultry or pigs are kept within proximity of these water¬ courses. Since March, 1959, when the Lancashire Executive Committee ceased to operate, the majority of the farming community appear to be carrying out the destruction of the vermin themselves, especially now that Warfarin is easily available in the shops. The methods employed for destruction are those recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and they continue to give excellent results.