New-York tribune., 1902-03-03
RIGGS ON DANGER OF RATS.
WATERFRONT PIED PIPER WHO KILLS
PESTS WITH FERRETS.

PATS" said DR. Hermann NJ. Bggs bacterto-
ioeical expert Of the Health Department 10 d d
tribune reporter yesterday And it should oe noteu
eith care that he said II interrogativey, and not
exclsmatoriy
"Rate7 Oh, yes there have been good many
s+ter,nts AT externinating them on large scale
They are without a doubt extremely active IN the
snreadjnE Of filth and disease. but II seems 10 De
rretty hard matter get rid OF them Ihey are
may saw the principal agents in the spread and
-ro,apation Of the bubonic plague. Their opera
lions have been particularly deadly in China and
India where the doctors look upon the rat and the
plague as pretty nearly the same thing wherever
the plague has appeared it has developed. almost
invariably first among the rats and afterward in
human beings. Even when the disease has been
brought to other countries II has frequently been
suspected that il was brought by rats that had
found their way aboard ships sailing from infected
ports In the case of many other epidemics OBJ
servation has shown that the disease appeared In
the rats of given locality before it attacked hu-
man beings. 1t is not unreasonable TO suppose
that the severe ravages of the bubonic plague in
the East due in part to the fact that the ma
tives live in such close quarters with the rodents
and make so little effort TO exterminete them"
DR.. Biggs described various attempts that had
been made TO exterminate rats in France and Ger
many by producing infectious diseases among them.
1t didn't seem TO work very we'll" he said. for
as soon as they began to die the survivors very
unobligingly declined to sit around and wait for
their turn. You can't very well kill them off un-
less you can shut them up and If you can shut
them UP you might as well drown them as inoculate
them with disease bacillus
A bystander here iuterjected:
Minds me of lady who asked Dutch drug
gist for some fly poison. He sold it to her. and
when she wanted L know how it was used the
DutChman said:
You Ketch der fly. und den you oben hiss mout'.
und den pud Joost one leedle drop hiss tongue -
drown him 1ns enug fqh h might just as well
Sure said the Dutchman, dots a goot way,
There is man down in Fulton-st. near the
waterfront. where the rats come from who has
devoted his life the business OF killing rats His
name IS William Penney, and he is never likely
things to fight rats with, and he has some that he
will guarantee 20 rid any building Of the maltese
Il take my ferrets." said he. land turn 'em loose
at the top Of a house. and they go all through It
They will follow anywhere rat win 60, and rat
little nip at the nape of the neck and It's goodby
10 do is TO put bags traps over the rathoes or
the ferrets don't XIII These little hunters enjoy
chasing their natural prey as much as you dc
stalking deer. They're never so pleased as wher
IN the cellars who flash bullseye lantern at the
rats as they rush pemell from their pursuers: and
What makes IT hard to keep the rats dowr
is that they multiply fast. When 1t comes Il
you. They breed nine times year. and raise litter!
Of from six to twelve throw. They breed faster
yoV killed every rat on this continent but one
pafr bet you there'd be just many ever il
Rats are the most dangerous lrebugs in the
business. too They love phosphorus, and will hum
- Tummsge a through yGu WRardrobe full Of Clothes
and not touch living thing but few loose matches
enough ia for spell I'm something Of pied piper
myself Cats will keep rats down, but they cam
where they go Ferrets can, though. and what:
more, they DO"