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.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
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.
Tāpiritia te tākupu hou