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itself could be made into a trap, success would be more certain. This, however, can
only be done provided the entries to the room are not too numerous and the furniture
and room contents are not too bulky to prevent their being easily moved. Given these
conditions there seems no great difficulty in arranging for all openings by which rats
gain entrance to be fitted with spring covers releasable at will.
(12) There are certain places where either this arrangement or the Stockade trap
might be useful. This latter trap consists of a simple four-sided compartment of
suitable size with a large sliding door dropping on to the floor and set in one of the
sides. This door is releasable at will by means of a string or wire attachment carried
outside the room. For a few nights the trap is left in the room with the door fixed
open, and rats are allowed to enter and leave at will. They are encouraged to enter by
suitable baiting, and when the trap is considered to contain the maximum number of
rats the door is released. The sides of the trap should be constructed so that the
contained rats cannot climb over it. A small tube may be placed in one corner of the
trap, the inside part being left open and the outside covered with a bag. The captured
rats may be driven into the bag through the tube and thus removed alive.
(13) POISONS—BARIUM CARBONATE.—Quite a number of useful poisons have
been suggested as suitable for use, and among these Barium Carbonate has been shown
to be one of the most reliable. It is cheap and tasteless, and on the latter account can
readily be made into a suitable bait. The action of this poison is corrosive, and as a
consequence rats poisoned with it leave their holes in search of drink.
(14) SQUILL, which is obtained from the plant Scilla Maritima, and used either
in the form of a powder or in solution, has proved to be effective. It seems to be
extremely toxic for rats, a lethal dose being stated to be only half a grain; it is,
moreover, regarded as comparatively harmless to domestic animals.
(15) STRYCHNINE, ARSENIC AND PHOSPHORUS—have also been advocated
as suitable poisons. Strychnine is too deadly to recommend for general use. Arsenic
does not appear to be acceptable in bait to rats, but phosphorous, although readily
recognisable, has been shown to be reasonably attractive.
The above poisons, either alone, in combination with each other, or in combination
with other poisons, form the basis of most proprietary rat-poisoning pastes which are
on the market.
(16) Suitable formula? and suggested methods for using the above poisons are set
out in the Appendix.