A FAMILY ATTACKED BY RATS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7176, 21 September 1886, Page 2

A FAMILY ATTACKED BY RATS.

CHILDREN FRIGHTFULLY EATEN

BY RODENTS. On Wednesday night, September 15, Mr. McLaughlin, tho teacher of the Cardrona school, was startled from his sleep by one of his children screaming out that something had bitten his ear. Mr. McLaughlin Btruck a match, and saw & or 5 rats running off the bed. He examined the child's ear, and found it torn in two or three places, and his face and neck were covered with blood. This child has been lying in a most precarious state, between life and death, for tho last six days from rheumatic fever caught by sleeping on the floor of the bouse. Mr. McLaughlin left a candle burning and went to sleep again.

In about an hour a younger child was attacked and bitten ia several places in the palm of his hand and fingers, which were over the bedclothes. This child was attacked on the face also, and the pillow was perfectly saturated with blood. Towards morning Mr. McLaughlin flung himself on tho bed, and had scarcely gone off to sleep when he found a very acute pain under his left eye, and putting up his hand he laid it on a rat.

Mr. McLaughlin called in several of! the residents to attest to the scars and marks on the children, and the blood. This is a most shocking state o£ things. Three of Sir. McLaughlin's children came over here to attend a concert, and through the severity of the weather were not able to get over to Queenslown anl have been compelled to sleep on the floor, and caught severe colds and rheumatism. One of the children is not expected to recover.

Mr. McLaughliu has notified the Committee that he caanot remain any longer, seeing that nothing has been done towards suitable residence. During the winter the back part of the house fell in, and the compartment where Mr. McLaughlin sleeps is wholly unprotected.