[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough].

  • Hampstead (London, England). Metropolitan Borough.
Date:
1957
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    36/72 (page 34)
    34 infestation was mainly due to an increasingly thorough survey of properties adjoining those from which complaints emanated and the subsequent treatments of a greater number of properties. There were two cases of rat infestation which were of particular interest 1.A heavy recurrent infestation underneath a basement floor, although there was no evidence that the rats broke out into the dwelling. There was no indication as to how they gained access. The domestic drainage had been renewed within the last few years and was constructed of cast iron. The actual line of the old pipe sewer was not known with any certainty but the application of a smoke test over the raking arm of the domestic drainage intercepting trap revealed without any doubt that it ran underneath the infested house and was defective. The section was relaid in a different position and it was not until after completion of the work that there was any break out of the rodents from the sub-floor space into the dwelling, where they were obviously in search of food. One treatment was then completely successful in determining the subsequent minor infestation. No trouble has since been experienced. 2.A basement tenant complained that she had seen a rat which escaped down the trap of the water closet. Upon investig ation of the drainage system the access chamber into which the branch soil drain discharged revealed numerous rodent foot-prints on the benching. A second chamber some 15-20 feet away was found complete with rat nest constructed on the upper part of the benching. The domestic drainage system and sewer connection was subjected to a test and found to be sound. In this instance the route of infestation had been from house to drain instead of, as is usual, from drain to house. It also proved beyond doubt that the water-seal to the trap of a W.C. is not a fully effective barrier to rats. Charges for Rodent Extermination As a result of a review of the cost of rodent work, the charge to business premises was increased from 7s.6d. to the more realistic figure of 17s.Od. per hour. It was at first thought that the increased charge would deter traders from taking advantage of the Council's rodent service, but this has not been so.