New-York tribune., 1920-08-10
Sees IS Millions
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Curb ON Rats
DIR. Heisler, of Rockefeller
Foundation, Urges Steps
to Make All Structures
in City Rodent Proof
Plague Menace Remote
Says Amendment of Build
ing Laws Would Be a
Good Business Investment

Rats cost New York s35Ooo,o0o a
year. according to DR.. Victor G.. Heis-
Ter, of the Rookie Teller Foundation. He
told a medical class at the Post -Gradu-
ate Medical School and Hospital, Sec
end Avenue and Twentieth Street, yes
terday that it would be "a good business
investment, as we'll as wise sanitary
precaution," if the building laws were
amended to make all structures rat
proof.
While he thought the danger of an
epidemic of bubonic plague in New
York remote, the menace, DR.. Heisler
said, is always present where rats
abound. He has just returned from
survey of sanitary conditions in Cen
trail and South America.
DR.. Helsler estimated that the CITY
has 100000 rats, or more than one
rat for every two inhabitants. He said
that one rat eats about five cents
worth of food a day He based his
estimate of the total of what the CITY
unKnowlngly pays to supply rats with
food on an annual board bill for each
rat OF $40, which he declared was a
conservative figure.
AS in any large city, there should
oe test rat catching in New York, par
ucuIarly near the piers, about once
week" said DR.. Heisler "If this pro-
cedure were followed we so would
have margin of six months between
the catching of the first infected rat
and the time of a possible outbreak
of bubonic plague"
Discusses Plague Problem
"Bubonic plague, which is now en-
gaging the serious attention of SAM
tary men everywhere he continued.
began its modern campaign of fright
fulness IN Hong Kong in 1894. 1t has
existed in the United States since
1901, when it appeared in San Fran
cisco, where millions of dollars have
been spent in trying to wipe out the
disease. Its mortality is tremendous.
ranging from so to SO per cent. In
INDIA there have been more than TO-
100000 deaths in the last ten years.
In Java, where the plague broke out
about five years ago, hundreds of thou
sands have died.
There is little difficulty in detect
ing the disease, since bubonic plague
is one of the few diseases which can be
recognized with certainty in the labo-
ratory. But there isn't any treatment.
All we can do is to provide good nurs-
ing, and thus make the patient COM
Portable.
One serious aspect of the plague
problem, he pointed out, is that where
II mas once got foothold it has
rarely been completely eradicated. The
disease can only be held in check.
Thus the plague is still a menace in
lAverpool and has existed in San
+ Francisco ever since its first outbreak,
twenty years ago. 1t reaches it's high
point every May in Hong Kong and
every February in India, the cause for
this periodic appearance being as vet
unknown
Flea Only Real Conveyer
plague is seldom, if ever, brought
IN by man alone" Dr.. Hcisler said
The only real conveyer is the flea.
which infects the rats, and leaves the
dead rats for nearby human beings. 1t
is almost automatic that where plague
victim is found there also will be found
dead rat, in thc ceiling, wall or floor
beside the victims bed'
Plague has appeared recently in
Pensacola, Fla; New Orleans and Cal
weston, lex, he said. Rats must also
answer to thef charge of national
property damage of 5000 1000, 900 a year
which, to be- replaced, takes the con
tlnuous work of 100000 men.
Dr. Heisler said that New York lost
an opportunity to protect itself against
plague when the last of the newest
piers were built. The construction Of
New York docks is actually inviting to
the plague-carrying rats, he declared.
Campaigns to Eradicate Rodent
DR.. Heisler described various cam
palgns against rats instituted in New
Orleans and San Francisco. Since
nouhties were often given for the kill
ing OF rats, DR.. Heisler declared, it
has been found that thrifty persons had
gone into the rat raising business and
mad furnished quantities of dead rats
from farms. He said he found the
best method was to work in a eiven
district of three or four blocks KIN
ing and catching the rats by all known
means.
Or. Heisler was introduced by DR..
William E. Decks, Of the United Fruit
Company, who is a specialist in trop
lcal diseases and member of the Post
Graduate School staff.