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This, however, enclosed a large population. The rats inside could only be approached
satisfactorily through one of the three necessities for a rat—food, water,
and undisturbed nesting. The nesting could not be interfered with, while ample
food was found in the material amongst which nesting took place.
Water, it was found, could only be obtained through occasional drips from
the roof or from fire buckets or by means of holes of approach to the roof guttering,
or lastly, from the drips from hydraulic cranes. It was, therefore, determined to
entirely cut off the rat from his water.
The proofing of the hydraulic cranes by means of wire netting of proper mesh
was part of the procedure for preventing ingress. This also kept the rats from
the drips from these cranes. Drips from the roof were few and far between, but as
the experiment proceeded it was interesting to note that the floor in the way of
one drip was scoured clean by the tongues of rats, as an indication of success.
Poison added to the water of the fire-buckets was partaken of by a few of
the rats. Now that holes to the roof were sealed, it was found that, while in time
past trapping in the presence of ample and suitable food and water was unsuccessful,
cabbage, which of course presented a certain amount of water, formed an acceptable
bait, and trapping was successful; in the result a place formerly inordinately
ratty, is to all intents and purposes rat-free at the present moment.
One is often asked to suggest means for ridding a place of rats. The method
successful in this case is seen to depend entirely on a close consideration of the whole
circumstances; such consideration has to be made for each ratty premises dealt with.
The important point about the experiment here described is not so much
the killing of the rats, as the permanent lowering of the state of rattiness in the
prevention of breeding, through the simple process of depriving the breeders of water.
A DANGER IN SULPHUR FUMIGATION.
One of your Sanitary Inspectors reported as follows:—
" While supervising the fumigation of a ship in the Port, the following points were noticed.
"The fumigator was experienced in this class of work, but his gear, owing to cost and
uncertainty of jobs, was rather primitive, any bare iron surface in the ship being used on
which to stand the sulphur candles, and the starting spirit applied from a bottle with a
perforated cork.
"The after end of ship, side and cross bunkers were under fumigation. These compartments
are separated from No. 2 hold by a wooden bulkhead and No. 2 'tween decks continue
clear through to No. 1 'tween-decks.
" Sulphur candles were on the iron decks of Nos. 2 and 1 'tween-decks, the holds of
which had been loaded with casks of pa lm oil and bags of palm kernels ; they also contained
palm kernel sweepings, dunnage wood and cargo mats saturated with oil.
" With the exception of one hatch at the hold ladder, left open for the ascent of the
fumigator, all main deck hatches were on and covered with tarpaulins, making the hold
extremely dark.
" The fumigator now commenced on forecastles, fore-peaks, and chain lockers ; the
peaks butted on to No. 1 'tween-decks, the bulkhead of which proved to be leaky.
" The Inspector noticed gas coming from No. 2 hatch and advised the fumigator to
start the sulphur candles there before the fumes became too strong, and a man was sent
down for his purpose. He was seen to apply spirit and start the candles and to apply more
spirit to four candles which were not burning. Becoming partially gassed he hurriedly
left his job and ran along the 'tween-decks to No. 1 hold in search of fresh air.
" It was then noticed that something was burning at a little distance from the sulphur
candles ; fumes were becoming stronger not only from candles in No. 2 'tween-decks, but
as a result of leakage from cross-bunker peaks, and to cope with the situation the Inspector
descended to No. 2 'tween-decks and put out the fire by stamping on it and by the use of
water obtained from on deck. The man returned somewhat recovered and rendered assistance,
but the fumes compelled a retirement to deck above.
" The explanation given by the fumigator was that although his man had swept that
part of the 'tween-decks clear in the morning in readiness for the sulphur candles, some one
of the many workmen employed on the ship must have kicked the palm kernel sweepings
near to the candles and in the darkness this was not noticed when starting the candles,
when some spirit must have fallen wide and ignited the sweepings.
" Here the want of suitable gear comes in again ; an electric torch would have shown
the operator the nearness of sweepings to the candles and petrol from a suitable can would
have been deposited on candles only, whereas the cork being shaken out of the bottle the
spirit was thrown widecast."
Instructions were given to the inspectors that improperly or dangerously
constructed operations were to receive no countenance from them, lest they assume
responsibilities in no way theirs.