"KILL THAT RAT."

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 202, 26 August 1919, Page 9

"KILL THAT RAT."

ebemt of ennrs health. THE CLEANLNG-UP CAMPAIGN. EPECIAL ATTENTION FOR VERMIN. As fro.Ti Monday, September 1. citizens of Auckland will lie asked by the various local governing bodies, to get ■busy with every implement they can lay hands i-n to have a more thorougn ■ gpring iletiiiing than tile one that w ! ■usual at this time of the year. Something more than the "ill-treatment" ot carpets, loarrangement of furniture, and splashing of eoapy water that distin- ! quiches the birth of sprinjr in the aver- ! ase household, is required by the City : toun-oil, who. at the instance of the ; Health Department, have issued an j edict requiring to have a look at every corner of their lands and premises to rout out any lurking dirt or retuee. In addition to this, and as ono of the most important operations in the campaign, rate arc to be slaughtered in every p<is?il>le manner. This cleaning-up period hat nut been decided upen because of any unusual condition, nor U it expected t.hat there will be a very extraordinary yield to the city rubbit-li f-arts in the way of I refuse, but the attempt will be directed \ r.srainst all rubbish and debris that might harbour vermin, for it is these pests | that are the present menace. The chief i sanitary inspector and hies officers have j declared a perpetual war on rats, and ' are alwayc- actively engaged in an attempt to exterminate them. In the city area one of the sanitary department's officers makes a business of lay- I ing pol-on an.l setting traps, and is ] recording heavy casualties among the ' enemy. Citizens are to be asked to direct special attention to the attempt to I kill off the dangerous pest that are a perpetual menace to the health of the j community. F)r. Monk, of the District Health Office, stated yesterday that the favourite abode of the vermin was near the waterfront, or in areas where there were many stone fences. If one of \ the captured rodents exhibits any sus- | picious sympto:us he is at once submitted to a searching bacteriological esanrinaton for the purpose of ascertaining whether iie i= suffering from any infectious disease. Although these examinations have been going on stantly for a long time, as yet no very serious disease has been discovered. The plague rat. for which the Health Department keep a constant watch, ha* not made an appearance for two years. Nevertheless, at any time these "pee-te may be responsible for the spread of an epidemic unless they are kept in check. It is well known that the rat's power of reproduction is extra-ordinary. >everal litters arc produced annually, each containing ten or twelve young, ■β-hich become capable of breeding at a very early age. They seem to be able to distribute the germs of nearly every infectious disease, and there is" a,' suspicion that they may harbour the dread influenza bug.