[Report 1959] / Medical Officer of Health, Belfast County Borough.

  • Belfast (Northern Ireland). County Borough Council.
Date:
1959
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1959] / Medical Officer of Health, Belfast County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    53/136 (page 51)
    V. Measures Against Rodents. 1. Steps taken for detection of rodent plague:— In Ships in Port:—All ships arriving from ports where plague is endemic are boarded by the Port Sanitary Officer as soon as possible after berthing. Enquiries are made as to the prevalence of rats on board, and as to whether any sick or dead rats were found during the voyage. The ships are then inspected to ascertain the degree of rat infestation, and are periodically inspected during the time they remain in port in order to ascertain if any dead rats have been found in the cargo. 2. Measures taken to prevent the passage of rats between ship and shore:— All ships arriving from foreign ports are required to affix rat-guards to all moorings and maintain them so fixed during the time they are in port. It is also recommended that the gangway or other communication with the shore should be raised at least eighteen inches from the ground. 3. Methods of Deratting of Ships, etc.:— (a) Ships: Deratting of ships is carried out by fumigation with hydrogen cyanide. The fumigation is carried out by contractors under the supervision of the Port Sanitary Officers, the minimum con- centration being two ounces per thousand cubic feet with a minimum of two hours exposure. (b) Premises in the vicinity of docks, quays, etc.:—The various shipping companies and occu- piers of premises in the vicinity of the docks carry out at the request of the Port Medical Officer, such works as may be necessary for the extermination of rats. Notices are issued, if necessary, under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, and are served on the occupiers of the premises. 4. Measures taken for Detection of Rats in Ships and on Shore:— (a) In Ships:—Ships arriving in the Port are inspected by the Port Sanitary Officers who ascertain whether or not they are infested with rats. (b) On Shore:—Stores in the vicinity of the docks are inspected regularly for the detection of rats. 5. Rat Proofing:— (a) Extent to which docks, wharves, warehouses, etc., are ratproof:—- The docks and wharves on the County Antrim side of the Port are so constructed as to be as nearly ratproof as possible. The floors of the sheds and warehouses and the roadways leading thereto are constructed of concrete or granite setts laid on concrete. On the County Down side the wharves are mostly erected on piles and these afford a certain amount of harbourage, but as these are used principally for the discharge of coal, ores, steel, etc., they are not so attractive to rats as those where grain and foodstuffs are landed. (b) Action to extend ratproofing:— (1) In Ships. Efforts are directed toward sealing vulnerable places such as provision stores and pantries where food is kept. This is generally done by encasing with sheet metal and closing the means ot access for rats between one apartment and another so as to make them as ratproof as possible. (2) On Shore: Periodical inspections are made by the Port Sanitary Officers to see that the various premises in the vicinity of the docks are kept in good condition. Most owners and occupiers of the premises are aware of the damage caused by rats to merchan- lse and take every precaution to prevent the access of rats to their premises. . Number of Rats Destroyed during the year (1) On Ships:— TABLE B 24 Species Jan. Feb. Mar. Apl. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total Black Brown 2 2 1 1 2 2 — 3 2 4 1 2 — 16 6 Note. In addition to above, 24 mice were destroyed.