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CIRCULAR TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 



Whereas the Association for the Authorized Extermination of Rats has proved 

 to the satisfaction of the ministry of the interior that it is in a position to expend on 

 the furtherance of its objects not less than 10,000 kroner within a period of three years, 

 it is hereby requested, in pursuance of act No. 59, of the 22d March, 1907 (see public 

 notice dated this day), and commencing with the 1st day of July of this year each 

 local authority shall at its own expense take all such measures as may be necessary 

 for the reception and destruction of all rats killed within the district of such authority 

 and delivered up to it. For the purpose of paying a premium for each rat delivered 

 up each local authority shall out of the common funds make an annual grant which 

 shall be not less than 3 kroner for each hundred inhabitants, according to the then 

 last general census, should the amount required for the payment of premiums make 

 such grant necessary. It shall be left to each local authority to decide whether further 

 grants shall be made toward this purpose. The premium to be paid for each rat de- 

 livered up shall not be more than 10 oere or less than 5 oere, and shall be fixed by 

 each local authority which shall give due and sufficient notice both of the date fixed 

 for the commencement of the operations of the law and the premium to be paid. 

 As far as possible, a uniform rate of payment by premium shall be fixed by local 

 authorities within the same county. Rats may not be delivered up to any local 

 authority but to that within the district of which they have been caught; any person 

 acting in contravention (par. 5 of the aforementioned law) shall be liable to a penalty 

 not exceeding 100 kroner. 



The chairman of the councils of the various local authorities are hereby requested 

 to take steps for the discussion and carrying out of the provisions of this law. 



If the grant made by any local authority for the purposes of this law should prove 

 insufficient for the payment of premiums on all rats delivered up, such authority 

 may apply to the Association for the Authorized Extermination of Rats, Colbjoern- 

 serigade 14, Copenhagen B, for a subsidy, this association having undertaken to organize 

 the obtaining of voluntary subscriptions for the carrying out of the purposes of this act. 



The said association is further prepared, at the request of local authorities, to render 

 expert assistance in commencing and carrying through operations under this act. 



For the collection and destruction of rats killed the ministry of the interior issues 

 the following instructions: 



A. THE LARGER TOWNS. 



Collecting depots. The local authorities shall provide a sufficient number of places 

 suitable for collecting depots. Such depots must not be within any place where 

 food or clothing is made or offered for sale. Fire brigade stations are considered most 

 suitable for collecting depots. 



The collecting may suitably be done in the manner that for each depot a number 

 of receptacles are provided, made of galvanized iron and furnished with a tight-fitting 

 lid. Into these receptacles the rats are to be thrown after their tails have been cut off. 

 The tails are to be kept in a separate tin box. All receptacles and boxes are to be 

 collected daily and to be replaced by empty receptacles. The full receptacles are 

 to be taken to the place where the destruction of the rats is effected. 



Further advice on the purchase of such receptacles and the apparatus for cutting 

 off their tails will be given by the Association for the Authorized Extermination of 

 Rats at the request of a local authority. 



The destruction may be effected either by cremating the dead rats for instance, 

 at the municipal gas works or by burying the carcasses in the open, at a sufficient 

 distance from the town, unless this course is prohibited by local sanitary considera- 

 tions. It is recommended that the local authority act in this manner always with 

 the local health committee. 



