19-21.] 



Eat Destruction by Government Aid. 



1055 



ascertained the extent of the depredations, traced the principal 

 rat runs and laid baits. These precautions have proved most 

 beneficial. 



The results of the National Rat Week held on the first six 

 days of November, 1920, were altogether encouraging. The 

 experience of former Eat Weeks had indicated the most suitable 

 methods of giving instruction and of advertising the scheme, 

 and these were again put in force vigorously. The general 

 results are not yet known. Precise statistics of the numbers of 

 rats killed cannot unfortunately ever be obtained, but there is 

 every reason to believe that the " kill " far exceeded that of 

 previous special campaigns. 



Some statistics of the work of 1920 can, however, be given. 

 During the month of January 120,000 rats were destroyed 

 in Monmouth, and 140,000 in Somerset. After the fumigation 

 of a ship on arrival at the port of London 1,466 dead rats were 

 picked up — a sufficient testimony to the menace which rat- 

 infested vessels present to the country. In Dover 16,000 rats 

 were killed and 18,000 caught on bird lime during twelve months. 

 On Foulness Island 7,000 rats were killed during six months, 

 and in the same place the Ministry's Technical Adviser and his 

 assistants, acting on behalf of the Army Authorities who own the 

 Island, cleared the rats from the sea walls. In Gloucester 

 356 parishes were treated during January of last year, with 

 a consequent very effective clearance. The London and 

 North Western Railway Company have appointed an officer to 

 superintend destructive work over the whole of their system. 

 This official has had the advice of the Ministry's Technical 

 Adviser. Part of his work has been the treatment of the Birming- 

 ham area, which he did at a cost of £9. It is instructive to 

 note in this connection that last year treatment of the same 

 area by virus cost the Company £217. Of one hundred 

 railway stations treated as the Ministry's experts directed. 96 

 were successfully cleared and 2 partially cleared, while 2 

 attempts unfortunately proved failures. The causes of failure 

 were, however, investigated ; the treatment was repeated, and 

 the result was a complete success. 



This review can give only a brief account of what has been 

 accomplished in less than two years. Although progress is un- 

 deniably remarkable, much more remains to be done to reduce 

 the rat population to such small dimensions that neither the 

 health nor the wealth of the community shall suffer longer from 

 this pest. 



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