Evening star., 1909-07-12
To WAGE WAR ON RATS
Health Officer Woodward Pro-
poses Vigorous Fight.
CAUSE BIG YEARLY LOSS
Cost to People of Washington $400,.
900 Annually.
BUSINESS MEN INTERVIEWED
Estimate Based .on Their View of the
Probable Amount Of In
jury Done.
CAUSE BIG YEARLY LOSS
BUSINESS MEN INTERVIEWED

War against the rat by the enforce.
ment of the regulations for cleanliness
about lunchFoOms and In the care Of
by Health Officer Woodward.
The damage to property and the dan.
ger OF the spread of disease from the
presence of rodents, DIR. Woodward
says, make such q warfare Imperative.
ut is conservative to place the entire
yearly loss to the people of Washington
from rats and mice at 100000, says u
recent bulletin of the Department OF
Agriculture. written by David Il. Lantz,
assistant in the biological survey.
During January and February. 1905 =
says Mr.. LantZ, "the writer personally
interviewed about 500 business men In
timore for the purpose of securing data
upon which to base an estimate of the
proba BILE amount of injury done to prop
erty by rats and mice in cities. The per-
sons interviewed included dealers in vari-
Gus kinds of merchandise, feeders of
horses, managers OF hotels and restau-
rants and manufacturers. The inquiries
included all sections of the two cities and
small dealers as we'll as large. Estimates
of losses experienced during the calendar
year 1907 were asked for, and while
some of the responses were mere guesses,
the losses reported furnish a reliable
basis for averages.
Estimates of Business Men.
Of 400 firms interviewed in Washington,
n reported no losses. So were unable to
give estimates and 345 reported damages
aggregating $780, 100. OF the firms seen
no account was taken Of about two score
alien dealers in groceries or fruits who,
probably because of fears OF health IN
spection, would not admit that they were
troubled by rats or mice although EVIL
dences of rat damage were plainly visible
in their stores.
The whole number of firms in the city
engaged in the lines of business investi-
gated is about 4,5OO If those whose re-
ports were considered had average losses
the total for the city would be upward OF
100000, but to avoid exaggeration
probable average per firm in each kind OF
business was calculated separately. With
reasonable reductions made in this way
the total loss on merchandise in the city
was estimated at $193,615. The several
lines of trade not included would increase
the total for the entire city to more than
$500, COO.
Besides the above, great loss is ex.
perienced in injury to buildings-public.
business and private. The loss on furni-
ture and fixtures also is great. II we es-
innate the losses In private residences, in
Guiding personal property and food de-
stroyed, depreciation of property and the
cost of traps, poisons, cats, dogs and 9TH
er means of fighting rats, as averaging 81
for each residence, the total amounts to
500, 600 year also. 1t is conservative
to place the entire yearly loss to the peo-
pie Of Washington from rats and mice at
$4OO 900.
Loss Throughout Country Millions.
IF similar conditions hold for all cities
of over 100 900 inhabitants in the United
States as they probably do, depredations
of rats and mice in these centers Of popu-
lation entail a direct loss to the residents
SeAAN
OGO, 600 annually.
Regarding rats and the public health,
the Agricultural Department bulletin says:
Menace to Health.
The most serious charge against rats
grows out OF their relation to human
health. 1t is now positively known that
rats are chiefly responsible for the spread
of bubonic plague, a malady which. in
spite of modern methods of fighting 1t,
has within the past dozen years destroyed
over 100000 human beings in India
alone.
"A writer in the London Spectator
states that septic pneumonia is sometimes
the result of drinking water from shall
low wells in which rats have been
drowned and their bodies left to decay.
He adds further that rats are also dis
seminators of every kind of disease
drains; for Of all highways a rat loves
the drain the best What visions of ty-
phoid, scarlet and malarial fevers, diph-
liberia and other malignant diseases are
aroused by such a statement.
1T is probable that many disease germs
adhere to rats feet and thus are carried
to places where they threaten human
health. PtOmaines are said to be some
times conveyed to meats and other hu-
man foods in this way. On the whole,
hygienic considerations furnish the strong
est argument for the determination of
rats
Methods Of Suppression.
Discussing steps for the suppression of
rats. the Agricultural Department agent
continues:
1.-The most important steps, therefore,
toward the suppression of the rats are:
I'D The enactment and strict enforce
ment of municipal ordinances providing
for the disposal of garbage and the pro-
lection of food supplies. Every effort
should be made to instruct the public as
to the necessity for care in the disposition
of refuse and the protection of food ma
terials. Tightly closed garbage cans
frequently emptied will go far toward
limiting the food available for rats.
Grain bins in private and public sta
bles. now affording food and harborage
for thousands of rats, and public mar
kets and feed, provision and grocery
stores, notoriously lacking in protection
against rats, should have their contents
safeguarded from these animals.
"(2) The rat-proof construction OF
dwellings and public buildings. The ad-
vantages of cement in the cellars and
foundations of public and private build
| ings are now SO we'll understood that
| the rat-proofing of buildings by cement
construction and other necessary meas
ures should be no longer left to indi-
vidual inclination and judgment, but
lations and these strictly enforced. The
additional expense, compared with the
advantages, Is trivial"
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