Evening star., 1912-11-03

he trap. 1t is then paced at the open
ing of rat hole or burrow. When rat
wishes to venture forth it is necessary
for him to crawl through the tube. The
instant he touches the cotton the powder
SHOWS down upon him. 1t gets into his
nostrils, the inventor explained, and
causes instant death. He failed to state
just whether the rat is suffocated or
merely sneeZes himself to death
A way to induce rats to kill each other
and commit suicide was explained by a
woman living in Indiana in a lengthy
letter to Surgeon General Blue. A large
iron kettle with steep and slippery sides
is filed with water and stone is placed
in the center making a small desert
island Two paper bridges are then
placed across the top, and a piece of
cheese is laid in the middle.
The first rat smells the bait and breaks
through one of the bridges in his efforts
to reach it. Having gotten on the island
he sets up a howl for rescue. His pal
comes on the jump, and. of course. lands
on the island also. The evil tempered
brutes Immediately begin to fight for
possession of the small dry space. and
all the rats in the community dash to the
spot, hoping to be at the finish. A great
rat disaster ensues. and the cold gray
dawn finds the kettle full of floating
bodies. 1t is needless to say that the
plan did not meet with Surgeon General
Blues approval.
Death by drowning is also provided in
received by Dr. Blue \ tub or half bar
rel is filled with water. A thick layer
of bran is then sprinkled on the surface
of the water. Being extremely light. a
rather thick layer of bran can be sprink-
led on the water before it begins to sink
to the bottom of the tub. -ooard. one
end of which rests on the floor and the
other on the edge of the barrel or tub
makes it possible for a rat to reach the
bran. Believing the tub TO be completely
ed "a
make for the very center of it, the in
ventor explained. Leaping from the edge
of the receptacle. he sinks through the
bran and is drowned. The floating bran
soon closes the opening made by the rat.
and everything is then in readiness for
the next unsuspecting rodent that hap
pens to come along.
A number of suggestions for killing rats
by electrocution have also been received
by DIR. Blue. For the most part. how
ever, they have been impractical. Such
is the case with large majority of the
models for traps received by him. no mat
ter whether they be mechanical, electrical
or otherwise
Because of the simplicity of construc-
ton, low cost of manufacture and sure
ness of action. Surgeon General Blue con-
siders the so-called guillotfne, snap or
deadtall trap TO De the pest loI foueHt
extermina tion. There are many traps OF
this type manufactured, but those of fiat
construction have proven superior IN
many ways to those having perpendicular
projections. The fiat type of guillotine
trap can be placed along narrow run
way or at the mouth of hole or burrow
where one of bulky construction would
be worthless Any other type of trap
when placed in this position would block
the runway and Immediately cause the
rodents to become suspicious. No matter
how tempting the morsel with which q
trap is baited. a rat will not attempt to
approach it when once his suspicious have
been aroused.
The appearance of the guillotine trap is
not alarming to rodents. Surgeon General
Blue has found, and without hesitation
an unsuspecting rat makes for the bait,
only TO be imprisoned beneath the wire
fall in a manner that either crushes its
skull or strangles it to death.
The big wire cage trap is not without
merit, however, for it has the advantage
of catching the rats alive and very fire.
quently more than one at a time. This
type of trap has been found we'll suited