Kill That Rat 1955

City of Melbourne Health Committee

Registration number

1091424

Artist/maker

City of Melbourne Health Committee

Printer

Renwick Pride Pty Ltd

Title

Kill That Rat

Production date

1955

Medium

ink and paper

Dimensions (H x W x D)

60 x 40 cm (framed, approx.)

Inscriptions

CITY OF MELBOURNE / KILL THAT RAT / CAMPAIGN / Eliminate the Rat Menace to Health / Poison Bates may be purchased at small cost at the / Council’s Department, 2nd Floor, Town Hall Chambers, / 246 Little Collins Street, in quantities to suit every / circumstance. / By order of the Health Committee of the Melbourne City Council / G.J. DEAN, Acting Town Clerk / Renwick Pride PTY LTD

Credit line

City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection

Keywords

Health, Rats, Melbourne, G.J.Dean, Melbourne City Council, Melbourne Town Hall

Summary

Rat populations have always been a problem in cities. The black plague, which is estimated to have killed half the population of Europe in the 14th century, is just one of many diseases attributed to the presence of rats in places with relatively high population densities. The communication strategies used by city authorities have changed over the years but the purpose has been the same, as this poster from the 1950s indicates.