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These figures make it obvious that efforts directed towards rat
destruction for a limited period are of little value, for the rat colony
can rapidly breed up to full strength again.
It has been definitely proved that rats, infected with plague, play
an important part in the propagation of this disease and that the rat
flea carries the germ from rat to man.
With the pig as intermediary hosts, rats assist in the spread of
Trichinosis (Trichina Spiralis) and certain tape worms.
Besides being the carriers of plague, rats are known to transmit
spirochaetal jaundice or Weil's disease, and infected rats have been
found in Japan, Germany, America and Britain.
Rats, it is believed, may cause the spread of Foot and Mouth
Disease, Swine Fever and other diseases.
It is not suggested that the potentiality of the rat as a carrier of
disease is limited to the diseases mentioned.
There is scarcely any known pathogenic parasite which can survive
for a short time in the intestine of the rat which may not occasionally
be transmitted by this agency to man or the lower animals, contaminated
food being the medium.
The economic loss due to rats calls for serious consideration. It
was stated at the recent Sanitary Institute Congress, that the cost of
feeding a rat is about 28s. per annum. The total cost to the country is
£70,000,000 per annum, owing to the vast quantities of food stuffs
consumed, contaminated or destroyed by rats and to the enormous
material damage wrought by them.
The destruction of food, merchandise and property by rats is so
great that these alone justify active measures of suppression.
Rats destroy growing grain, damage cloth and wool, eat fruit,
vegetables and all food stuffs; they destroy, by contamination, as much
or more than they eat and it must be remembered that the rat may have
a run from a drain or sewer or any place where filth or garbage may be,
hence they gain access to a food store, restaurant, kitchen or even, to
the domestic larder. There is, therefore, considerable danger as regards
food poisoning.
The work of rat destruction, together with preventive measures,
is carried on steadily in the Borough throughout the year; drains are
repaired or reconstructed and watch is kept to prevent accumulations