The benefits we have derived through decades of laboratory research on rats have done little to endear them to us. Lab rat housing unit, England, 1990-1999 (Science Museum / Science & Society) They are linked with disease, known as stealers and spoilers of stored food and generally associated with gutters, sewers and other nasty places, and we are pretty merciless in our actions.Įach year, we poison, trap and otherwise despatch many millions of these highly fertile beasts. We’ve even developed poisons that effectively mummify the rats to reduce the odour from the carnage – though one wonders what horrors await future generations of roofers and renovators. Pets aside, our interactions with rats tend to have pretty negative outcomes for one or other party. Iron gin rat trap, England, c.1800s (Science Museum / Science & Society) But even the most committed animal lovers tend to physically cringe should a wild one scuttle past in the street. While they may have been motivated as much by politics as public health concerns, they once again highlighted our fractious relationship with these particular rodent.įew animals have attained such universal levels of loathing, although more than one friend of mine has enjoyed keeping pet rats – ‘Dave’ being one still remembered with great fondness. The recent pronouncements by Scott Springer – Borough President of Manhattan – about the rat problem in New York received international attention. Rats killed at Paddington Station, London, 9 November 1921 (National Railway Museum / Science & Society)
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