, 1912-07-13
The Editor 81. Cyoir Bulletin and St. Croie

49, 0NVVN "t
AOi8.
Siri
The Theory that Rats are the direct Bear
ers OF the Bubonic Plague is new; it has not
grown into the consciousness of even the
present generations; hence it is not difficult
to explain how it is that a great many persons,
including some who must be presumed to
possess Intelligence. and education enough
to enable them to think for themselves and
examine into the nature of things, who up to
now fail to see how that connection can be
accounted for or established; many are un-
able to perceive, how, if the theory be COR
rect, and as Men and Rats are known to
have been co-existing many years on the
face of the earth, it has been possible to
avoid at any time having the Plague exist
ing without the possibility of showing up
the way of avertIng the effects through
out Mans life. If this be SO, and no one
can in earnest deny it. then it is no wonder
that Inhabitants here do not easily take to
the Destruction of Rats as the means Of pre-
venting the spread of Bubonic Plague; and
it is therefore we see the Invitation to kill
Rats here in ST. Croix and to present them
at the Policeoffice for a pay Of Bets per rat and
mouse, is considered as a useless and unneces-
sary arrangements; but that is wrong, rats are
of themselves a perfect nuisance to Man
III us DlOJOLCJJ duNA w ave 0EOh uCOuo-
toned TO use efforts Of all kinds possible to
eradicate them or drive them from our
neighbour hood, but neither Mongoose, Traps,
Cats, Poisons, nor any thing else has helped,
and neither do they show themselves wiling
to emigrate from any place except from a
sinking ship; here now, whatever be the
views of people as to the connection between
Rats and the Plague, the Belief that some
thing Of the kind exists, is predominant else
where, and we are offered an ample pay for
merely presenting dead rats at our Police
Stations, Is Bits OF Bets, for every one, big
or small. There ale those who look upon
the presenting Of rats in consideration OF a
certain sum, as a low occupation; but it is
not so; every one kills a Rat 0he Animal is
not considered sacred among us) when he
can get TO do it, and The animal is thrown on
the streets or on the dirt-heaps, tmetimes
to lee crushed by carts or vehicles passing
by, or devoured by stray cats, or loosegoing
chickens, creating offensive odors, until our
inofem zoe scavenger cart collects them
and throws them on the public heaps on the
borders of the town, to form a part Of manure,
and really no one is even willing to part with
Liquor or anything else for mans food, be-
cause u Rat enters OF falls into the Receiver,
+. j. Rum Clstnrn, Butts or Mo!asses Butss.
Flea9 are always Matched and spread by
Rats & Bats and also Dogs no one can tell
what and how much is intailed by those
troublesome guests; it is true that Fieas
(and CLigoes) are } aised in Cellars and other
similar places, hut the relations between such
Localities and their occupants is not so init
mate rs with the wandering, intrusive and
destructive little CANCELS" Let us then, by all
means, knock doWn-tWo-birds by. one-stOne-
get rid of rats, whether they be the Rats
known of infectious colouists, or not and
let us at the same time get rid of feas
we will at same time be making capt
tai out Of a terrible nuisance, a capital of
no mean value a woman near the Fort in
Christiansted was reckoning how from the re-
turns from 3 Rats she could get q good Fish
etc for dinner; and this is in reality nothing
compared to the good done to the existing
and coming generations by eradicating Rats
and their Poison; consideration to those we
have around us and dear to us, children
and aged persons, not to speak of the in
calcu,able evils of u general epidemic, must
lead us to set aside all childish and silly
thoughts on this ''occupation'; it is no low
occupation to carry dead rats to the Office,
on1 q V the lives ri vOur fellow citizanL, Tho