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way of proceeding. I suggest, therefore, that a conference between your officers and
those rat-catchers who are known to work in the City should be held with a view to
establishing some form of voluntary registration and for setting out the rules with
which a person should be required to comply to entitle him to registration, and further,
if a suitable scheme can be devised, it is desirable that occupiers of premises in the City
should be notified of the fact and requested only to engage a rat-catcher who is on the
City's registered list.
(24) RAT REPRESSION AS APPLIED TO THE WHOLE AREA.—The problem
of rat repression as applied to the whole community presents many difficulties and is
one of no mean magnitude. Certain general principles must be observed, even if these
are wrong and require future alteration, if a satisfactory working policy is to be laid
down.
At the present time two chief conclusions seems to be justified :—
i. Rats apparently multiply to the limit of the means of available subsistence.
Under favourable conditions litters are large since reproduction is carried
out under a maximum of satisfactory circumstances. When food supply is less
than is necessary to maintain in a satisfactory condition the rats which exist in
an area, there probably results an automatic control owing to increased mortality
and reduced fecundity.
ii. Intermittent attempts at rat diminution almost certainly result in
constant maintenance of maximum rat prevalence. The reduction which takes
place as a consequence of sporadic efforts results in additional advantages
being the legacy of those that remain, and a subsequent increase follows until
the normal level is regained.
(25) As already stated, premises can be made rat-proof and the available food
supply decreased to a minimum. Within such places the rat population residing therein
can be wiped out by the exercise of effort, but outside, considerably less can be done in
either of these respects, and notwithstanding the best efforts, some harbourage and
some food for rats will remain.
So long as endeavours are active and continuous a permanent reduction in numbers
will take place. This will proceed until a stage is reached when further reductions will
only be achieved by efforts greater than those already put forth.
(26) It would appear to follow, therefore, that with our present, knowledge we seem
to be under the necessity of constantly fighting the scourge. If we relax our endeavours,
the rat population, which has by previous efforts been reduced to a point below that
which harbourage and food supply could maintain, will soon be restored to what is
the normal level in the circumstances.
Even if the Corporation, by improvements in sewers and by controlling food supplies,
and private occupiers by improving their buildings and safeguarding such food as may
be stored on the premises, constantly maintain their best endeavours, the question of
offering some inducement to encourage persons, otherwise not interested, to make war
on rats appears worthy of consideration. The only opening in this direction appears to
be to pay for rats caught and killed, on adequate proof of slaughter, such as the
production of the carcase or portion of the carcase, being forthcoming.
It is doubtful whether a payment of 3d. per rat would prove any attraction. I
believe that in Liverpool as much as 6d. is paid.
The action of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has
probably done much to put an end to this kind of* personal endeavour without public
payment. As a result of the Society's activities rat-baiting has ceased, and it was for
this purpose that special efforts were once made to catch rats alive. It is not for me
to consider the ethical aspect of the question, but I may be permitted to state that no