The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-02-09
RATS AND THE PLAGUE.

Honolulu Is rouslng Itself TO the dan
ger 1t runs from rats, animals which
by common consent OF scientific men
are the most certain agents for the dis
semination OF the bubonic plague.
Rats take the plague easily and carry
II for considerable time before they
die. After being stricken they retire
TO their holes, where they hide TOT
days until pain and terror drive them
ont to court the society OF human be-
fngs. They enter kitchens where COOK
So is going on; they seek occupied
beds at night; they get under foot IN
ones drawing-room; they enter the
nurseries where children play. In this
stage of the disease infection goes
with them like an atmosphere. When
dead and not destroyed by human be-
ings, they are likely to be eaten by
rowing members of their own species,
thus increasing rat mortality, or they
may be eaten by the family pet cat.
So long as rats are in city where
the bubonic plague has taken Judgment
every one will be in danger The only
safeguard is to get the rats out OF the
way. They must be killed to keep the
pestilence from travelling into the pri-
yacy of homes and into the publicity
of stores. At the same time one must
have a care, in killing and disposing
of them, not to run the risk of catch
ing the disease by contact. We hear
that the late Mr.. Robertson lost his
life by too much carelessness in cree
mating some twenty rats! which were
killed by fumigation in the store where
he was employed. He probably hand
led them; he certainly stood close to
the fire into which they were thrown.
The man might be living today If he
had gathered the rats with a long
handled shovel and thrown them into
a shallow tank of coal oil, where they
could have been quickly consumed.
His carelessness in matter where the
average man Is careless, cost him his
life and his family of motherless chill
dren the care and support of father
Nevertheless it is more risk to leave
the rats alone than to kill and destroy
them. The only thing to do If we are
to remove the present blight from Ho-
Notwithstanding Of COURSE that sani-
tary rules continue to be observed both
AZ to homes, stores, streets and per-
sons-is to begin a crusade against the
dangerous rodents and keep 1t up I'M
til the ordinary house rats are as
scarce as white mice. Then Honolulu
may begin to breathe freely.
How are the rats to be caught? We
do not much believe in traps, for a trap
which has held plague-smitten rat
may itself convey the plague. There is
great good in fumigation providing the
house or store where it is undertaken
can be tightly sealed. The twenty rats
reported to have been killed in that
way in the store where j. Weir Robert
son worked, tell their own story. II
you have an infected cellar or attic
mongoose might be useful in it for few
DAYS, after which he too should be killed
and cremated. But the great destroyer
is the right kind OF poison on the right
kind of bait. In Kobe the best results
were had by putting Rough on Rats on
bits of raw fresh meat. The meat was
a temptation the rats could not resist;
the poison drove them out of the
houses to the rain puddles, streams
open sewers and taps in search of water
where they died and were gathered and
burned in pools of kerosene. 1t Is in
teresting to note that dead rat, before
being taken up on shovel, was en-
tirely covered with quicklime.
Considering the danger Honolulu is
In from it's rodent population We urge
the Board of Health to adopt the fol-
lowing measures and any others of the
same kind that body may regard al
beneficial:
ID Issue circular to the public
urging an immediate crusade against
rats and stating the best methods OF
killing them. Frame this circular in
the five prevailing languages.
(2) A bounty for dead rats being
now offered, avoid the danger of hav-
ing them brought to a central Office
as vouchers by giving each sub-in-
spector authority to burn such rats as
are produced and to issue an order on
the Board of Health for the bounty.
The honesty Of each order the sub-in-
spector may be required to attest att
erward.
go Provide poist led meat in proper
quantities, take 1t through the city II
wagons and have special agents SCI
that 1t Is placed in every house. i
the question of laying pc.son is left t
private hands It Will be only half done
If these or similar measures only re
duea the numhar of ratR fifty ner cent