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The rates of recovery of sewer rat populations after poisoning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

E. W. Bentley ,
A. H. Bathard  and
J. D. Riley
E. W. Bentley
Affiliation:
Infestation Control Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Tolworth, Surbiton, Surrey
A. H. Bathard
Affiliation:
Infestation Control Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Tolworth, Surbiton, Surrey
J. D. Riley
Affiliation:
Infestation Control Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Tolworth, Surbiton, Surrey
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1. The recovery, after poisoning, of the rat population of eight sewer systems was measured by the bait-census method.

2. In three of the systems the mean rate of increase was of the order of 3% per week. This is attributed solely to breeding and is regarded as typical for rats in sewers.

3. Higher rates of increase (up to 11·8%) were also recorded but are believed to have been partly due to immigration or to have been only apparent (as a result of census difficulties).

4. The consequences for control of a rate of increase as low as 3% per week are discussed.

Our thanks are due to eight Local Authorities, their Chief Public Health Officers and members of their staffs, without whose help the work would have been impossible, and to a number of colleagues, especially Mr J. H. Greaves, who helped with much of the census work.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 57 , Issue 3 , September 1959 , pp. 291 - 298
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1959

References

REFERENCES

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