New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-08-31
THE RAT AND ITS RELATION
TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
BY Walter Wyman, surgeon-a Gen
eral Of the Public Health and
Marine Hospital.
Continued from last week.
Snap Traps.


Continued from last week.
Snap Traps.
Snap Or spring traps are best
for use in houses and stores, with
the exception Of fish and meat
markets. Snap traps are best for
use in runways, beams and
shelves. 1t is sometimes we'll to
disguise the trap by covering its
floor with a little sawdast or dirt.
They should be first tested to see
that they work properly and that
the staples are secure. New traps
should be smoked or stained to
render them an inconspicuous
color.
The bait should consist Of some
firm material, such as fried bacon
or tough meat, and should be tied
on so that the rat will be obliged
to pull on it and thus spring the
trap. The trap should be placed
in a corner or close to the wall
on a fiat, hard surface, so that
the rat can not spring it with his
tail or by walking on it.
Barrel Traps.
In warehouses and granaries
large numbers of rats may FREQ
uently be trapped by using a bar
rel Of garbage or garbage can
having a metal top which is care
fully balanced. Large pieces OF
strong cheese are placed in the
middle of the cover and . plank
laid from the floor to the edge OF
the barrel. The rat runs up the
plank onto the smooth metallic lid
which tips and the rat is precip-
itsted into the barrel.
In cities trapping is one Of the
most effective Of the three meth
dds to slaughter rodents. The
rats highways are easily discov-
cred and in them traps capture
great numbers Of the unwary. In
the country one can not 80 read
lily determine the rat highway.
This difficulty diminishes the ef-
fectiveness Of trapping. To make
up for what is thus lost shooting
has been resorted to with good
results. In Honolulu, where I
vigorous campaign against rodents
il being waged, q very large pro-
portion Of the captured rats { Mus
rattus and M. alexandrinus) have
been shot from trees. In Contra
Costa County, CAL, where ground
squirrels are being exterminated
it has been found that rodents
passes an instructive suspicion Of
traps and that during the sum.
mer months shooting il not only
the most practical hut also about
the only means Of attacking them
Shotguns are the weapons to use
A rifle requires the hunter to be
4 better shot than il ordinarily
obtainable for such work, and
furthermore, the danger from It'll
longer range and from riochetine
bullets menaces cattle and farm
hands who may be working in
the vicinity. Az to the shot and
the powder charge for shells hunt
ers differ. II il . different prob
lam for every shotgun, depending
upon the guns caliber and choke
The principle is to put the great
est number Of the largest shot the
gan will carry into the rodent
body. Thus in 10 and IL gaugs
guns shoot No. 8 shot and in Is
guage guns shoot No. 8 shot, but
this varies with each individual
gun. The use Of soft lead Of
chilled shot seems . matter FOL
personal preference. The charge
must be a. much % the gun will
carry. In the country smokelesl
powder become q necessity during
summer months since black pow
der ID liable to ignite the dry grasl
and stubble. a1i1klDI.
POISONING.