Skip to main content

Rat poison

Image
Rat poison

Rough on Rats was a common poison in the early 20th century, intended to kill a widespread household pest. Sadly, it was also often used by suicides – a fact exploited by this cartoon, which also draws on negative stereotypes of the stingy Scotsman. Poisoning was the most common suicide method in this period.

Using this item

National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past

Reference: New Zealand Free Lance, 8 September 1906, p. 15

Permission of the National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page