Photograph from U. S. Public Health Service 



GUARDS PLACED ON THE HAWSERS TO KEEP RATS EROM BOARDING THE SHIP 



On the lines by which a ship is tied up to the wharf are placed metal disks which look 

 like the "messengers" boys send up on kite strings. These disks are two feet in diameter 

 and prevent rodents from landing or taking passage by way of the hawser. The ship is 

 "breasted off" with a spar, seen in t'he background, which is also guarded by a similar sheet 

 of metal. As an additional precaution, the gang-plank is painted white for a space of twenty 

 feet. This is guarded by a quartermaster when in use and elevated when not. 



It should be kept in mind that so long 

 as good shelter and plenty of food are 

 available rats will thrive and increase. 

 Under such conditions trapping alone 

 will be ineffective, since unless otherwise 

 controlled the supply of rats will be in- 

 exhaustible. Use concrete, wire netting, 

 and sheet metal to rat-proof buildings, 

 and keep food and foodstuffs within rat- 

 proof containers (or buildings), and the 

 number of rats will naturally diminish. 

 Then by means of traps or poison the 

 survivors can be readily eliminated from 

 the premises. 



Rat-proofing in some degree, as well 

 as extra care in safeguarding food sup- 

 plies, whether in the granary or pantry, 

 should accompany all efforts to eliminate 

 rats. By these methods the householder 

 may free himself from their obnoxious 

 presence. 



It may be stated here that many claims 

 have been made as to the effectiveness of 

 different serums and viruses for the de- 

 struction of rats by spreading contagious 

 diseases among them ; but extended ex- 

 periments, particularly in this country, 

 have, so far as the writer is informed, 

 failed absolutely to give the desired re- 

 sults. The reliable and successful reme- 

 dies lie in the use of concrete and other 

 modern building materials, with effective 

 traps and poison used thoroughly in act- 

 ive, individual, community, and national 

 campaigns. 



ORGANIZED EFFORTS ARE NECESSARY 



The only really satisfactory way of 

 handling the rat problem is by organized 

 efforts. This is particularly true, owing 

 to the fact that even with all property 

 owners doing their duty many public and 



