Dispensing Death and Destruction for Only a Few Pence av Malcolm Moyes

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<p>The nineteenth century saw the growth of commercially available solutions for dealing with the problem of domestic infestation by mice and rats. Promising a reliable means of destroying the ¿furry detestables¿, such products as <em>Battle¿s Vermin Killer</em>, <em>Hunter¿s Infallible Vermin Destroyer </em>and <em>Barber¿s Magic Vermin Killer</em> were sold cheaply over the counter, as well as being sent through the post.</p><p>The trade in such dangerous products made serious money for manufacturers, wholesalers, and shopkeepers. Unfortunately, it also contributed to what was frequently described by anxious coroners and excited journalists as a suicide epidemic, often involving desperate young women in domestic service. In addition, the deadly packets of poison also provided a convenient means for the disposal of a brutal husband, an inconvenient wife, or an insured child.</p><p>Focusing on <em>Battle¿s Vermin Killer</em>, produced in Lincoln around 1850, Malcolm Moyes details a cat