The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-11-07
PLAGUE ON RATS
IS THE SLOGAN
RED. BLACK AND EVEN WHITE
RATS MUST BE VAN
QUiSHED.

"Plague-on the rats" is not Only
the slogan in Seattle Portland and Ia
coma. but in Walla Walla as WE'LL and
while the little playful things are not
as numerous in the Garden City as in
many cities elsewhere, still the fierce
battle against the distributors OF
germs will perhaps be necessary in or
der to keep the city free from disease
and follow in the style" parade or. the
coast cities.
Plenty Of Rats in WaIIa WaIla.
Rats? Why there isn't enough rats
] in the entire county of Walla Walla
| to furnish first class amusement for
| a small boy with a toy rifle said a
cock-sure citizen of the town last
evening. There isn't, hey?" said To-
cal physician, that's about all you
know about rats. In certain districts
of Walla Walla l can show you sew
eral of them. And then again, there is
the pet rat, and l myself would per-
haps be surprised if l were told the
exact number of them.
Should Rid City of Rats.
81 do not fear the bubonic plague,
yet l think it would be a mighty good
plan to rid the city of all rats. In many
districts | am told that they are so
numerous that they are actually a
nuisance. They multiply very rapidly
and if action is not sooI. taken they
may prove something more than a pest.
appeal to Reason"
! No war has as yet been declared on
the rats of Walla Walla, yet other
cities throughout the northwest, are
doing so. North Yakima will martial
a force of citizens today for the pur-
pose of eXterminating every rat found
in the city. The first effort to be sys
tematically made there will be to pre-
vent the spread of the plague through
the medium of rats that may escape
from merchandise on freight trains
that stop there or. their way east from
the coast. 1t is the belief of many citi-
zens of Walla Walla that the fight
should be taken up in earnest here and
every precautiOn taken to prevent the
dread disease from gaining fOOthOld
| in this community.
State Board Takes a Hand.
The state board of health has taken
hand and issued circular letters to
the officials of various cities in the
state.
This letter. it is said. has also gone
to the commissioners of each county.
1t contains suggestions for the eXter-
mination of rats and mice, two kinds
of rodents which are known to be the
most dangerous means of transmitting
| Rats and mice have been found to
carry the germs, and fieas on these
animals are also means of transmit
ting the infection. The members of
I the state board are stated TO believe
| the danger of a prevalence of the
plague is grave and that concerted ac-
/. ton should be taken at once.
| This letter says in part: "All garb-
age and refuse from kitchens, markets,
grocery stores, fish markets, slaughter
houses and butcher shops should be
| cleaned up and destroyed. If it can not
be destroyed and has to be dumped.
the dumps should be surrounded by
rat-proof wire netting fences not less
than four feet high. This wire should
be deep enough to prevent burrOwing
and fastened at the top to a 10-inch
An+ ND hot hn re cal
climb over.
Don't Touch Sick Rats.
"The rats and mice should be killed
and destroyed as much as possible in
stead Of driving them away to other
places. They should be poisoned or
caught in traps and killed in the traps.
! These traps should hold both rats and
mice and should be smoked or scalded
and rebaited after each catch. The
| dead bodies of rats and mice in the
traps should be burned.
| ANY rats found dead or that, when
caught seem sick, should be sent by
| express to Seattle, addressed to the
United States public health and marine
! hospital service. care of the state board
! of health, 400 Bailey building, Seattle,
Wash, where they will be examined
! for evidences of plague. These dead
rats should be wrapped in several
thicknesses of paper with a table,
spoonful of chloroform placed in a tin
box or can fhe chloroform will kill the
feas on the rats). These rats that are
found dead or caught when sick
should not be touched or handled, but
should be picked up with stick or
tongs.
In other words, if you can cut off
the food supply and shelter of rats and
mice they will more readily take
poison. or be caught in traps and eX-
terminated This is a great safeguard
against the prevention of bubonic
plague. Mo- rats and f1eas-nO plague.
In human beings-Every death from
a suspicious or peculiar illness should
be investigated Immediately. Doubt
full or peculiar cases which are APP
nareptlv tvphOid fever or pneumonia