Report to the Local Government Board on an Enquiry into Rat Plague in East Anglia during the period July—October, 1911

Abstract

During the period July 1st—October 31st, 1911, 15,332 rats were examined for plague infection. These rats were obtained (see Map facing p. 311) partly from the area which in the previous year had been found to be infected with rat-plague and partly from the districts immediately adjacent to this area.As a result of the present enquiry 27 farms or other premises were found to harbour plague-infected rats.These 27 places are all within the area previously pronounced to be infected. No plague-infected rats have been discovered outside this area.Experience of rat collection during the present enquiry showed that the rat destruction which had been maintained by local enterprise since the end of 1910 had in many localities appreciably diminished the rat population.