Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-24
INSANTTARY HOMES
BREEDING PLACES OF
DTSEASE-LADEN RATS
Filthy Cellar Rooms of the
Tenement District Respon-
sible for Unwholesome
Conditions.

f1lth and lnsanitary conditions in Phila-
delphla's cellar rooms" It is the belief
Of sanitary experts, is primarily re-
sponsible for the large number Of rats
infestlng certain localities Of the tenemen,
district
Recent Investigation by prominent mer.
chants, who formed permanent COM
mittee to cooperate with the Department
OF Health to drive out the rodents.
showed that s65OOOO worth OF merchandise
is destroyed yearly by rats In this city.
DR. l.. 70. Cofer, Assistant Surgeon Gem
sral, at Washington, believes that nth ls
ono Of the chief causes Of tho existence
OF rats IN tenement dwellings.
Tho poor of the different downtown
wards whose homes are In dark, small
and wlndowless basement rooms arc com
pleinlng these days of rats. Many or
tho tenement dwellers have Installed rat
traps
Since rats began 20 lnfest certain
tenements the rat station at the foot Of
Race street has been kept busy receIv-
ing dead and living rats from residents
OF tho congested quarters. The city
pays two cents for every dead rat de-
llvered to the station and flve cents for
every live one.
Rats, in the opinion Of leading ply
sioians OF this city, are tho carriers OF
the bubonlc plague, which is known to
the medical world as ''black death" Sew
erhl weeks ago movement to eliminate
rats was launched by prominent men.
Thomas Martlndale presided at the meet
Ing and at the suggestion OF Director
George w. Norris of the Department Of
Wharves, Docks and Ferries. It was de-
clded that the organization should be-
come permanent one.
or 1000 rats recently brought to the
rat section, n careful examination by
medical authorities showed that about
nine were found to be infected with lep-
rosy The rats were caught in traps
which were set in lofts and warehouses,
as Well as in the tenement district
Several guinea pigs were inoculated
with parts OF the infected rats to ascer-
tain whether It was possible for a human
being to catch leprosy from the pests.
Research activity OF infected rats, which
"NAN NaBtulSu III ANeW 1OTk several years
ago, disclosed that it was possible for
persons TO become infected with leprosy
from rats whose system Is stricken with
that nalady
Indignation against Select Councilman
Charles Seger, of the 7th Ward and
chairman of the subcommittee on finance
OF Councils, who has declared himself as
being opposed to the now housing laws,
is growing. Many insanltary cellar
rooms" are located In the heart of Seger's
ward. 1t is also In this ward that the
headquarters of the international Tene-
ment Owners Association is located.
This association has gone on record as
being opposed to the new Division of
Housing and Sanitation which was Gre
ated by the last Legislature. The act
was signed by Governor Tener.
Every effort to get Councils finance
committee, of which John p. Connolly is
chairman, to grant appropriations for
the new department has failed Con-
nelly, who is anxious to become the cam
dldate for City Solicitor on the Repubii-
can Organization ticket, Is another Coun-
Gilman who doesn't favor the new hous-
ing laws.