[Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Dover Town and Port.

  • Dover (England). Town and Port Council.
Date:
1957
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Dover Town and Port. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The following is a tabulated classification of the premises visited and treated during 1957 :— Rat Infestations Mice Premises Total treated : Infestations Visited : Visits : Major : Minor : treated : Local Authority Pro- perties 68 182 1 9 7 Dwelling Houses 406 1,062 — 29 75 Business Premises 158 429 1 4 23 Agricultural Property 4 17 1 — — During the year an extensive treatment was carried out of the River Dour banks, a preliminary survey having revealed marked evidence of quite heavy infestations in certain stretches of the river. 135 prebaiting points were made, complete takes of prebait being recorded at 33 of these and part takes at 76. Using the Sausage Rusk/Zinc Phosphide (2J%) combination, 110 poisoned baits were deposited, the amount varying from 4 ozs. to 8 ozs. according to the amount of prebait taken; 4 complete takes and 92 part takes were recorded. Following this. Warfarin post baiting was carried out; the rat infestation was found to have been greatly reduced and the Warfarin procedure was continued until all baiting showed negative results. Sewer Treatment : The usual two sewer treatments were carried out during the year. In the first, which included the previous test-baiting of areas reported clear or not covered by the preceding treatment, the Warfarin formula was followed for the first time in the Borough. The baits comprised Pinhead Oatmeal (80%), Technical White Oil (5%), Castor Sugar (10%) and Warfarin together with paranitrophenol (0.25%), this being one of the preservatives recommended to maintain the bait in a palatable and attractive state under the adverse conditions met in the sewer manholes. Manholes Takes Manholes Total Manholes Test Baited C. P. Baited showing takes 94 15 9 299 91 In the second treatment, the zinc phosphide technique was followed, with the following results :— Manholes Baited Prebait Takes Poisoned Bait C. P. Takes—P. 171 36 31 67 It would appear therefore that the Warfarin treatment had led to a reduction in the sewer infestation but more will be known on this point when the 1958 treatments are completed. Legal Proceedings : No legal proceedings were instituted under the provisions of the Public Health and other Acts mentioned in this Section of the Report.
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