The sun., 1919-08-24

and vegeta bles in transit on steam
boats Tomatoes cucumbers, sweet
potatoes, bananas, oranges, grapefruit,
peanuts and other products shipped by
water from the South reach their des.
tinations in Northern markets with
heavy percentage OF damage. 1t seems
that steamship companies commonly
-igr ore tho claims OF shippers for these
losses; but in view of the practicable
ity of destroying rats on steamships
by means of fumiga ton, and the slight
cost R building ratproof compart
ments Tor holding the produce, there is
every reason to believe that this form
of loss could be entirely avoided.
Inasmucll as vessels are one OF the
most prolific means of introducing
rats from abroad and also facilitate the
movement of these pests from port to
port within our continental limits, II
Ii clear that all possible steps should
be taken to destroy these migratory
rodents. The United States Public
Health Service has amply demonstrated
the effectiveness of ship fumigation and
the use OF traps afloat, and happily for
these precautions New Orleans, es-
pecially, has been safeguarded from
bubonic plague. Therefore, the same
measures for the arrestlng of disease
will answer admirably IN holding the
rats in check on frsighters laden with
foodstuffs OF one sort or another.
Carriers of Disease.
Probably the most serious charge
that can be made against rats grows
out of their reflex upon public health.
As we know. they are considered
chiefly responsible for the spread OF
hubonic plague, and in India alone
that malady, in the course OF n dozen
years, cost more than 100000 human
lives. The identity of plague in man
with plague in rat was proved some
years ago, and the rat flea is the in
termediary by which the disease Is
transmitted from the rodent to man.
1t is an old story now how the au-
thorities battled with the rats in some
Of our Pacific ports, particularly in San
Francisco, during 1907-09, in an eff
fort to halt the spread of bubonic
plague. Hundreds of thousands of rata
were trapped or poisoned. and but for
that sustained and energetic campaign
It is impossible to tell what might have
been the ravageH among San Francis
co.'s citizens. To-day, It is known that
pia que infected rats are 10 be found In
scTne OF III" ports Of the British Isles /;
and such Of us as are familiar with
New Yorks waterfront are aware OF
tho precautions that are taken 20 cnecT
the landing OF these rodents by way
~ Uanrnla Mrs hawsArE &c
Rats disseminate diseases other than
bhubonic plague, and the sooner these
l vermin are exterminated the Artter II
| will be for all of us II has been
dinned into us that the common house
! fly Is a carrier Of banGful paoiiii. which
| cling to Its feet and are thus i'm
! planted upon our foodstuffs. Similarly
| disease germs can adhere to the feet
| OF rat-travelling as II does in all
| kinds OF noisofne places and then tres
! passing where our foOdstuffs are
stored Ptomaines are said to be some
times conveyed to meats or other hui
man comestibles In this way. As DR.
Lantz sums the case up against the
! rodent: "On the whole, HYGIENE con-
! slderations furnish the stronge'. argu-
ment for the determination a. rats"
The rat thrives where he can gel
enough TO eat. The permanency Of hi
| stay in any place is depende mt wholly
upon the availability Of II supply oi
! food. 1t Is not so much question OF
! kind or quality as II is an abundance
of easily obtained food that influences
! the habits OF these pests And this
brings us to the question of how thes,
| creatures can be dealt with effectually