Historic Treasure Article - October 24, 1982
by Dorothy W. Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
Historic Treasure Article - October 24, 1982
by Dorothy W. Jerse
Curator, Vigo County Historical Society
This 100-year-old historical treasure is one of the humorous items in the collection of the Vigo County Historical Society.
The sheet music, "Rough on Rats," was offered as a premium by Ephraim S. Wells, chemist, Jersey City, N.J., the manufacturer of "Rough on Rats" poison. "Send 35 cents for Song and Chorus of 'Rough on Rats.' Just out. Everybody crazy for it."
The "dwelling house size" of the product sold for 25 cents. Wells' advertisements claimed "sure death to rats, mice, flies, vermin, ants, insects, roaches, waterbugs, bed bugs" and "one application clears out a building."
The words of the song read:
Squalling children, scolding wife,
Were not the past of my poor life,
Where'er I lived, in house or flats,
My plague has been those horrid rats.
They ate our meat, our bread and shoes,
We could not have a quiet snooze;
One day my wife did chance to doze,
They pinned my baby by the nose.
I got a cat, I set a trap,
And thought to have a quiet nap,
But scarce in bed we snug were laid
When round the room thee villains played.
My wife jumped out upon the floor,
To strike a light, but soon did roar,
As well she might, for must you know,
The steel trap had her by the toe.
Chorus:
R-r-rats! Rats! Rats! Rough on Rats,
Hang your dogs and drown your cats,;
We give a plan for every man
To clear his house with Rough on Rats.
To understand this promotion, it is necessary to realize how much damage rats incurred before our modern sanitation systems and methods helped control thee rat population. With the ability to spread disease and to eat one-third of its own weight in 24 hours, rats may well be our worst four-legged enemy.
Pictured with this sheet music is an East Setting Choker made years ago by the Lovell Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania. Four mice could be caught in one setting of this device.
These items are part of the country store display at the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 South Sixth Street. Open hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday. The museum is closed Saturdays and holidays.