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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
In Hong Kong, as in all densely populated areas of the world, the presence of rats in large numbers is always a threat to public health. Rats are involved in the spread of a number of diseases, the most important of which is bubonic plague. Continuous preventive measures and constant vigilance are necessary to guard against this disease, which is known to be endemic in several nearby territories. Preventive measures are undertaken by the Port Health Authorities, the Pathology Institute of the Medical and Health Department, and the Pest Control Section of the Urban Services Department. It may be of interest to know that nearly 5,000 rats are examined by dissection in the public mortuaries each month for possible signs of plague and that bacteriological investigations on rats are carried out whenever indicated. The last case of plague in Hong Kong occurred 44 years ago.
The Urban Services Department co-operates closely with the public in the elimination of rats. Requests by the public for assistance in dealing with rodent infestations are dealt with by the Pest Control Section throughout the year; the average monthly number of requests during 1966 was 185. Members of the public also co-operate in the disposal of dead rodents which they put in the 1276 public rat bins provided by the Department throughout the urban areas. Many of the 700 odd rodents placed daily in these bins are caught by the public themselves, and the bins, which contain a disinfectant oil emulsion, provide a convenient and safe means of disposal.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: ---Mr. Chairman, is there an annual increase in the number of rat bins provided by the Department?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICE: -There is actually a decrease. There were 1400 provided in 1965, and the number I have given to-day is for 1966.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Referring to the first paragraph of the reply in which it was said "the number of rodents collected from public rat bins has not changed significantly." As there has been no general increase in the urban rat population in recent years, could that be due either to the fact that the number of rat bins has been decreased, or perhaps the rat has become more domesticated or urbanised. (Laughter). From an arithmetic point of view, could it have been because the number of rat bins has been reduced, Mr. Chairman?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: —No, I do not think so. The number of rats collected in this way has been about the same, and the number trapped and poisoned in block control operations has also kept the same.
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MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -On the other hand, Mr. Chairman, if the number of rat bins for the public has been reduced then the public has fewer places where they can put the rats.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: -Mr. Chairman, I indicated in my answer that 700 rats a day are collected from 1200 odd bins. We previously had 1400 bins to collect the same number of rats. Obviously, there is no need to have quite as many bins as 1400 in order to get 700 rats a day.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: So in other words then, Mr. Chairman, from a percentage point of view, there has been an increase because the number of rat bins has decreased. (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: -I am afraid I do not agree with Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's arithmetic at all.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Well, Mr. Chairman, I think we can discuss it in private, but may I pursue with my supplementary question?
MR. SALES: Sir, before Mr. CHEONG-LEEN starts, may I suggest that he must surely be aware that rats are also exposed to the Hong Kong Family Planning Association, and perhaps for that reason the population has decreased. (Laughter).
DR. BELL: -Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask one thing out of what Dr. COOMBES said just now. He said that he still managed to collect 700 rats a day out of 1200 bins. I wonder if you had had the full number of bins, whether you would have collected more than that number? Did you remove the bins because there was nothing in them? (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: -Let us put it this way, if you had one rat in each bin, half the bins would be empty, so you do not need so many bins to collect 700 rats.
DR. BELL: Did you have your full quota? (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: -All I can say is that it has been 700 on the average for some time.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, may I pursue with some factual questions with your permission, unless you have something to add.
CHAIRMAN: -No, I will cut my remarks short.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -The Vice-Chairman stated that 700 odd rodents are collected every day, that makes a total of nearly 300,000 per annum. Now, from that figure, isn't it possible to make a general...
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Page 19 of 259
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
In Hong Kong, as in all densely populated areas of the world, the presence of rats in large number is always a threat to public health. Rats are involved in the spread of a number of diseases, the most important of which is bubonic plague. Continuous preventive measures and constant vigilance are necessary to guard against this disease, which is known to be endemic in several nearby territories. Preventive measures are undertaken by the Port Health Authorities, the Pathology Institute of the Medical and Health Department and the Pest Control Sec- tion of the Urban Services Department. It may be of interest to know that nearly 5,000 rats are examined by dissection in the public mortuaries each month for possible signs of plague and that bacteriological investigations on rats are carried out whenever indicated. The last case of plague in Hong Kong occurred 44 years ago.
The Urban Services Department co-operates closely with the public in the elimination of rats. Requests by the public for assistance in dealing with rodent infestations are dealt with by the Pest Control Section throughout the year; the average monthly number of requests during 1966 was 185. Members of the public also co-operate in the disposal of dead rodents which they put in the 1276 public rat bins provided by the Department throughout the urban areas. Many of the 700 odd rodents placed daily in these bins are caught by the public themselves and the bins, which con- tain a disinfectant oil emulsion provide a convenient and safe means of disposal.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: ---Mr. Chairman, is there an annual increase in the number of rat bins provided by the Department?
DEPUTY DIREctor of MedICAL AND HEALTH SERVICE:-There is actually a decrease. There were 1400 provided in 1965, and the number I have given to-day is for 1966.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Referring to the first paragraph of the reply in which it was said "the number of rodents collected from public rat bins has not changed significantly." As there has been no general in- crease in the urban rat population in recent years, could that be due either to the fact the number of rat bins has been decreased, or perhaps the rat has become more domesticated or urbanised. (Laughter). From an arithmetic point of view, could it have been because the number of rat bins has been reduced, Mr. Chairman?
DEPUTY Director of MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:—No, I do not think so. The number of rats collected in this way has been about the same, and the number trapped and poisoned in block control opera- tions has also kept the same.
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MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -On the other hand, Mr. Chairman, if the number of rat bins for the public has been reduced then the public has fewer places where they can put the rats.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-Mr. Chairman, I indicated in my answer that 700 rats a day are collected from 1200 odd bins. We previously had 1400 bins to collect the same number of rats. Obviously there is no need to have quite as many bins as 1400 in order to get 700 rats a day.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: So in other words then, Mr. Chairman, from a percentage point of view, there has been an increase because the number of rat bins has decreased. (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I am afraid I do not agree with Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's arithmetic at all.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN :· -Well, Mr. Chairman, I think we can discuss it in private, but may I pursue with my supplementary question?
MR. SALES: Sir, before Mr. CHEONG-LEEN starts, may I suggest that he must surely be aware that rats are also exposed to the Hong Kong Family Planning Association, and perhaps for that reason the population has decreased. (Laughter).
DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask one thing out of what Dr. COOMBES said just now. He said that he still managed to collect 700 rats a day out of 1200 bins. I wonder if you had had the full number of bins, whether you would have collected more than that number? Did you remove the bins because there was nothing in them? (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-Let us put it this way, if you had one rat in each bin, half the bins would be empty, so you do not need so many bins to collect 700 rats.
DR. BELL: Did you have your full quota? (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES : say is that it has been 700 on the average for some time.
-All I can
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, may I pursue with some factual questions with your permission, unless you have something to add.
CHAIRMAN: -No, I will cut my remarks short.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-The Vice-Chairman stated that 700 odd rodents are collected every day, that makes a total of nearly 300,000 per annum. Now, from that figure, isn't it possible to make a general
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