8 LEAFLET 6 5, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



It is concluded, therefore, that red-squill powder when mixed with 

 food in the concentration recommended for rat control is not likely 

 to cause serious harm to farm animals in good health. It is possible 

 that the irritant may cause death under certain conditions; so 

 far as possible, therefore, red-squill baits for rats should be kept out 

 of reach of other animals. 



Experience has shown that objectionable odors resulting from de- 

 caying rat carcasses are less likely to occur if a slow-acting poison 

 is used. Red squill is slow acting and gives the sick rats opportunity 

 to retire to burrows in the ground, into sewers, or 

 Deodorants to other situations from which odors do not ordi- 

 narily penetrate to structures above. Records show 

 that odors develop on only about 1 out of every 20 premises treated 

 with red-squill rat baits, and few persons are unwilling to run the 

 risk of an occasional odor when trying to rid their homes of rats. 

 Should rats die where the carcasses can not be removed without 

 undue expense, the offensive odor arising from the putrefying bodies 

 can be somewhat abated by the use of certain chemicals. Compounds 

 of formaldehyde, chlorine, and cresol are sold at drug stores as 

 deodorants. Deodorant solutions such as sodium hypochlorite may 

 be sprayed around the room, added to the water used in scrub- 

 bing, or used to saturate cloths hung in the rooms where the 

 odor is prevalent. A lead-nitrate solution also has been recommended 

 for this purpose. Whether these deodorant compounds actually 

 combine with and neutralize or destroy the offensive odors of putre- 

 faction, or merely disguise them, is not definitely known, but prac- 

 tical tests have demonstrated their helpfulness. Odors from dead 

 rats seldom last longer than four to six days. 



U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING 0FF1CE:193I 



Tor sale by the Superintendent of Documents. Washington, D. C. ----- - Price •"> ceafl 



