RATS. 87 



heavy enough to resist the teeth of rats. The netting in 

 common use for screening cellar windows is suitable for 

 covering cribs. As rats can climb the netting, the entire 

 structure must be screened. 



Keeping Food From Rats. — The effect of an abundance 

 of food on the breeding of rodents should be kept in mind. 

 Well-fed rats mature quickly, breed often, and have large 

 litters. Poorly fed rats, on the contrary, reproduce less fre- 

 quently and have small litters. In addition, scarcity of food 

 make measures for destroying the animals far more effective. 



The general rat-proofing of buildings is the most impor- 

 tant step in limiting the food supply of rats. But since much 

 of the animal's food consists of garbage and other waste 

 materials, it is not enough to bar rats from markets, grana- 

 ries, warehouses, and private food stores. Garbage and offal 

 of all kinds must be so disposed of that rats can not obtain 

 them. 



It cities and towns an efficient system of garbage collec- 

 tion and disposal should be established by ordinances. Waste 

 from markets, hotels, cafes, and households should be col- 

 lected in covered metallic receptacles and frequently emptied. 

 Garbage should never be dumped in or near towns, but 

 should be utilized or promptly destroyed by fire. 



Rats find abundant food in country slaughterhouses ; re- 

 form in the management of these is badly needed. Such 

 places are centers of rat propagation. It is a common prac- 

 tice to leave offal of slaughtered animals to be eaten by rats 

 and swine, and this is the chief means of perpetuating 

 trichinae in pork. The law should require offal to be promptly 

 cremated or otherwise disposed of. Country slaughterhouses 

 should be as cleanly as constantly inspected abattoirs. 



Another important source of rat food is the remnants of 

 lunches left by employes in factories, stores and public build- 

 ings. This food, which alone is enough to attract and sustain' 



