The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-03-16
HOW no cATcH RATs.

= n
Uncle Sam Gives Expert Advice On
The Subject.
Tribune Bureau.
The famous rat catcher Of Hameiin
must yield to his laurels to the scien-
tific rodent destroyers Of the United
States Public Health and Marine Hos
pital Service. According to reports
received by Surgeon General wyman,
the plague Of rats in San Francisco,
which threatened to cause the spread
Of a more serious plague. the bnbcnic,
has been well nigh ended. Rats by the
thousands have been caught and killed
by the government surgeons. and 30
successful have they been in the un-
dertaking that DR.. wyman has pub
Iished a little article entitled. How
to Trap Rats" in last weeks issue
Of Public Health Reports Passed As
sistant Surgeon W. @. Ruclfer, sta
toned at San Francisco, Ii the author
of the essay. In it hesgays:
Rats are to be found wherever there
Is an abundant food supply for them.
Therefore the best places TO trap rats
are slaughter houses. meat markets,
chicken houses. in and around garbage
cans and places. Where garbage is
usually placed. II the rat Is deprived
of this food supply Il will be attracted
by the bait in the trap and thus enter
the trap.
The large nineteen inch French wire
cage trap has given good results where
rats are plentiful. It should be made
of stiff. heavy wire and well REIN
forced, as large, strong rat will force
his head between the wires OF weak
trap and thus escape. Before setting,
the lever on the trap should be tested
TO see that II works properly. The
trap should be placed on hard sur
face, with the rear end q little higher
than the entrance. so that the trap
VIII close promptly. When setting the
trap In an open place ft should be
fastened TO a board on which about an
inch Of soft dirt has been spread.
Place the trap where rats usually go
for food or In q runway, and disturb
the SURROUNDINGS as little as possible.
II II sometimes well to place the trap
1t is sometimes well to place the trap
near dripping water. as the rats may
go there to drink. II the trap Is set
In hay. straw or wood. Il should be
covered with the exception of the en-
trancel with the same material. When
this is not possible II should be Gov.
cred with . piece of soaking, or placed
IN dark corner or beneath the floors.
When setting the traps in the sewer
dry place should be chosen.
The rat Is more or less of an epicure,
therefore the bait should be changed
at frequent intervals. In a meat mar
ket vegetables are the best bait, while
in location where vegetables are
plentiful liver and fish heads are
little grain are best. The following
may be suggested as good bait to be
used: Fish heads. raw meat, cheese,
| smoked fish, fresh liver, cooked corn
beef, fried bacon, pine nuts, apples
| carrots and corn. When trapping 10
chicken yards a small chick or duck
| ling is a remarkably good bait. When
| q large number OF rats are caught in
one trap search for the female rat and
| leave her alive in the trap, as she may
call in the young or the males. The
| bait should be fastened to the inner
side Of the top of the trap with a
| piece of fine wire, so that the first
| rat that goes in cannot force the bait
| the entrance Of other rats. A few
| grains of barley should be scattered
! near the entrance Of the trap and a
/ small piece OF cheese or meat fastened
| to the pan with q bit of wire. It is
feather which has been dipped in oil
| of anise or oil Of rhodium. The trar
/ should be smoked with piece OF burn
/ ing newspaper 70 take away the smell
I OF human hands or Of rats which have
been caught IN the trap. DO not han
I ole the trap after burning II out
| When trapping in q neighborhooc
| where rats are known to exist the
4 traps should not be moved for thres
OF four days unless they iaave rats n