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" (2) Shore premises.—In any district in which representation is
" made to the local authority, that rats in the district are infected or
" suspected with Plague, so that there is unusual mortality among rats
" in the district, the local authority shall report the matter to the Local
" Government Board, and shall take measures :—
" (a) for the destruction of all rats in the district ; and
" (b) for preventing the ingress of rats into buildings and other
" premises in the district."
The barge " Thomas " with fumigating plant is in good working order, and
is likely to be used more regularly for the fumigation of vessels with regard
to the destruction of rats, so that vessels may comply with the Regulations of
the Commonwealth Government and save themselves the inconvenience and
expense of being fumigated on arrival at the port of destination.
The Dock Authorities and the shipowners "are co-operating with this
Authority in the work of the destruction of rats.
The following experiment was carried out in one of the docks :—
November 6th.—A healthy rat was caught and fed on bread covered
with a much advertised virus, and then placed in a cage with eight other
healthy live rats. This rat died on November 18th ; but the others
remained alive and healthy until December 18th, on which date they
were fed with ½lb. tin of virus. One died on December 29th, and was
partially eaten by her companions.
December 30th.—The remainder were fed on another ½lb. tin of virus,
but remained alive and well until January 9th, 1911, when they were
destroyed.
The experiment shows that the use of virus cannot be relied on.
The Local Government Board have issued a memorandum on Plague,
making certain recommendations as follows :—
I. Persistently and Systematically destroy all Rats.
Owing to the natural fecundity of the female rat and the early age at
which they begin to breed, this is impossible. They have several litters
during the year, each litter comprising from six to fourteen young.
The Board of Agriculture state, in a leaflet recently issued, that in
India where rats breed all the year round, the offspring of a single pair
would, if supplied with sufficient food and left unchecked, amount at the
end of one year to 35,000. Such favourable conditions are fortunately
not present in this country.
The Port of London Authority have appointed professional rat-catchers
for each of their docks. Traps and chemical poisons are chiefly employed.