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exterminated by all possible methods, the dead bodies being
consumed by fire at once. Stationmasters and others of the
staff concerned with these instructions should make a special
report to this office, if they destroy 20 or more of these
rodents in any one week, and if a rat trap is wanted they
should send an indent for one." Other Railway Adminis-
trations have been requested to issue similar instructions to
their staff. Collectors should satisfy themselves that these
instructions are actually carried out.
(G.O., No. 738-P., dated 2nd August 1898.)
3. The Plague Commissioner has ruled that ordinarily,
the destruction of rats should be confined to-
(a) infected places and the surrounding area within
a radius of ten miles round it (paragraph 10 of G.O., No.
93-P., dated 26th February 1898);
(b) landing places and railway goods-sheds, where rats
from infected places are likely to be imported with goods
brought by sea or railway.
In the case of (a), rewards may be necessary but the
maximum rate should not exceed three pies. In other cases,
the Port or Railway authorities are expected to do all that is
required without the reward system.
(P.C., No. 191, dated 14th October 1898.)
4. The charges incurred in the destruction of rats should
be debited to Local or Municipal funds according to the area
within which such charges are incurred.
(G.O., No. 494, Financial, dated 11th April 1899.)