QUADRUPEDS. 53 



municated by Dr. Ure to the Council of the English Agricultural 

 Society, and is highly recommended as the best known means of 

 getting rid of these most obnoxious and destructive vermin. It 

 has been tried by several intelligent persons, and found perfectly 

 effectual. Melt hog's lard in a bottle plunged in water, heated to 

 about 150 degrees of Fahrenheit ; introduce into it half an ounce 

 of phosphorus for every pound of lard ; then add a pint of proof- 

 spirit or whiskey ; cork the bottle firmly after its contents have 

 been heated to 150 degrees, taking it at the same time out of the 

 water, and agitate smartly till the phosphorus becomes uniformly 

 diffused, forming a milky-looking liquid. This liquid, being cooled, 

 will afford a white compound of phosphorus and lard, from which 

 the spirit spontaneously separates, and may be poured off to be 

 used again, for none of it enters into the combination, but it merely 

 serves to comminute the phosphorus, and diffuse it in very fine 

 particles through the lard. This compound, on being warmed 

 very gently, may be poured out into a mixture of wheat flour and 

 sugar incorporated therewith, and then flavored with oil of rhodium, 

 or not, at pleasure. The flavor may be varied with oil of aniseed, 

 <fec. This dough, being made into pellets, is to be laid in rat- 

 holes. By its luminousness in the dark, it attracts their notice, 

 and being agreeable to their palates and noses, it is readily eaten, 

 and proves certainly fatal. They soon are seen issuing from their 

 lurking-places to seek for water to quench their burning thirst and 

 bowels, and they commonly die near the water. They continue to 

 eat it as long as it is offered to them, without being deterred by 

 the fate of their fellows, as is known to be the case with arsenical 

 doses. It may be an easy guide for those who are desirous of fol- 

 lowing Dr. lire's prescription, and may not have a thermometer at 

 hand to know that a temperature of 150 degrees of Fahrenheit is 

 equivalent to a degree of heat midway between that at which 

 white of egg coagulates, and white wax melts." 



I have little to offer in addition, except to suggest that the ve- 

 hicle with which the compound of lard and phosphorus is to be 

 used may be fresh malt, instead of a mixture of sugar and wheaten 

 flour ; and I would also suggest the following preparation to be 

 added, as an allurement, to induce the rats to eat freely : 

 Oil of Rhodium 1 scruple. 



Oil of Caraway 

 Oil Lavender 

 Oil of Aniseed 

 Tincture of Musk 



P 1 



1 drachm. 

 5 drops. 



10 drops. 



2 drops. 



