[Report 1963] / Medical Officer of Health, Belfast County Borough.

  • Belfast (Northern Ireland). County Borough Council.
Date:
1963
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1963] / Medical Officer of Health, Belfast County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    (b) Premises in the vicinity of docks, quays, etc:—Sheds wharves, roads the Belfast Harbour Commissioners’ Estate receive routine warfarin baiting. +r?a+mpnt*at theii within the Estate readily accede to requests for provision of rodent repressive /rwtruction' premises, where necessary. When necessary a written notice under the Rats an ( Act, 1919 is served on the occupiers of the premises concerned. 4. Measures taken for detection of rats in ships and on shore:— (a) In ships:—Vessels arriving in the port are inspected by the Port Public Health Inspectors and Pests Officer to ascertain the presence of rodent infestation, the extent of same or any co which would inhibit infestation. (b) On shore:—Sheds, stores, other buildings and structures also timber stacks and open spaces receive continual inspection. Inspections made by Pests Officer :— Vessels Dockside premises, sheds, stores, timber-stacks, building and fitting-out berths, lands, etc. 1,294 1,533 5. Rat proofing:— (a) Extent to which docks, wharves, warehouses, etc., are ratproof:— The quaysides of docks and basins in the port are mainly of solid granite construction with ferro- concrete or granite sett surfacing. In the case of jetties, wharves and quay extensions, some rat harbourage does exist in the under-jetty piling and frame work also in the stone facing of the river bank but the rat passage from one to the other is restricted by the sound construction of quayside surfacing. The use of concrete and/or granite setts laid on concrete in the construction of roads and shed floors ensures effective rat proofing in sheds and other dockside buildings. (b) Action to extend ratproofing:— (1) In ships:—Efforts are directed towards restricting free movement in vessels and preventing access to such attractive spaces as bilges for water, under ceilings, sheathing or casing for nesting and food stores. The use of tight fitting steel doors, sheet metal and expanded fine-mesh metal assures perfect protection. (2) On Shore:—Dock-side premises receive inspection to ensure that they are maintained in sound condition against the entry and harbourage of rodents also that material favourable to harbourage and feeding is not permitted to accumulate. Most owners and occupiers of premises in the Port area are fully aware of the damage to merchandise caused by rodents and adopt all practicable measures to prevent their entry. Number of rats destroyed during year. (1) On ships:— TABLE B17 Species Jan. Feb. Mar. Apl. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total Black. . Brown 9 — 4 — 4 12 — 9 — 8 — 4 50 In addition to the above, 14 mice were destroyed. (2) In docks, quays, wharves, warehouses etc.:— TABLE B 18 Species Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total Black 1 — — — 1 1 ___ _ 3 Brown 3 4 2 3 5 2 1 3 2 4 —• 3 32 In addition to the above, 20 mice were destroyed. The rats destroyed as recorded in above table were only those reported to the Port Public Health Inspectors and Pests Officer following enquiry trom sweepers, storemen, pest eradicating operators, etc.