THE HOUSE RAT 



11 



amount to $3 and $2.70 respectively. In 1930 one of our leading 

 health authorties, having had much to do with rat destruction in 

 combating plague, placed the annual damage in the United States at 

 one-half billion dollars, or approximately $4 for every resident of 

 the country. The experience of Biological Survey investigators 

 would indicate that Lantz's figure of $2 per year per rat is more 

 nearly correct for cities and towns. 



Figure 8. — Uncovered garbage cans furnish food for many rats and contribute greatly 

 to rat abundance in residential districts. 



TOTAL LOSSES 



To summarize the yearly losses caused by rats on the different 

 bases discussed there should be added to the $63,000,000 loss on 

 farms a loss of $68,000,000 to people living in small towns and non- 

 farm country residences and a loss of $58,000,000 to city residents, 

 which would make an estimated annual grand total for the United 

 States of $189,000,000— an appalling sum. 



RELATION TO HEALTH 



Because of the close association of rats with man and domestic 

 animals and because rats are scavengers, living on both filth and 

 edible foods, frequenting alternately sewers and grocery stores, 

 privies and pantries, running from places where disease organisms 

 abound to places where otherwise sanitary conditions prevail, carry- 

 ing the disease organisms on their feet (fig. 15) and in their fur 



