1054 



Eat Destruction by Government Au>. 



[Feb., 



on lines suggested by the Ministry's Technical Adviser. Further, 

 7,500 copies of the pamphlet for the guidance of Rat Officers were 

 distributed by the Army Medical Department to all Medical 

 Officers. 



During the first National Rat Week 60,000 sets of premises 

 were treated at Bristol, and it is estimated that -200,000 rats 

 were killed. The year 1919 saw excellent progress in acquiring 

 knowledge of devices for rat destruction. The Ministry 

 and the Local Government Board co-operated in an exhibition 

 held at the Royal Zoological Society's Gardens; 300 tests 

 were made to determine the best and safest raticides and 

 it was found that the media suggested by the Ministry, namely, 

 Carbonate of Barium and Red Squill, were not only the cheapest 

 but the most effective. At the instigation of the Ministry almost 

 all makers of proprietary poisons agreed to supply Local Autho- 

 rities at prices much below their usual rates. The Rats' Branch 

 encouraged the importation of the necessary raw materials, and 

 •gave recipes to manufacturers and the public generally, thus 

 enabling them to prepare baits at very low prices. The Rats' 

 Branch was further able to show that the employment of sugar 

 as a means of attracting rats is not essential. 



With the additional powers obtained under the Rats and Mice 

 (Destruction) Act, 1919, great progress has been made during 

 1920 in organising the carrying out of systematic methods of 

 destruction throughout the country. 



Not only Government Departments but public bodies — scien- 

 tific, social, industrial and commercial — are showing an increas- 

 ing interest in the question of rat destruction. Very clear 

 evidence of this interest was given at the Royal Sanitary 

 Institute's Congress at Birmingham, where the announcement 

 of a special conference on rat destruction drew an audience too 

 large to be accommodated in the hall set apart for the meeting. 

 Papers were read by several experts, including Dr. W. M. 

 Wiiloughby, Medical Officer to the Port of London, Surgeon- 

 Commander McKeown, and on behalf of Professor Zuschlag. 

 The ensuing discussion brought out many valuable points 

 of interest and information. At the Sanitary Inspectors' 

 Association Conference at Margate the question was earnestly 

 discussed at a special meeting, and at the Conference 

 of Port Sanitary Authorities steps were taken to ensure a properly 

 co-ordinated inspection and fumigation of vessels in port. 



At Kew Gardens, which are under the Ministry's supervision, 

 rats had done great damage to valuable wild fowl and had eaten 

 their eggs. In July the Ministry's officials visited the Gardens, 



