MICE PROBLEMS IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND MICE INVASION IN TIRHALA IN 1866

Abstract

Mouse is a rodent vermin. This rodent family comprises many different species andit can be found everywhere in the world save for a few islands in the Pacific Ocean.They can also travel to other places in ships or trains. Mice can give birth 6-10times a year and each female mouse can give birth to 10-12 offsprings each time. Anewborn female mouse reaches sexual maturity to give birth within 3-4 months. Apair of mice reproducing regularly may reach a population of around 300 million inthree years. Mice are smart animals. They will hardly be fooled with the same tricktwice consecutively. Naturally the first group of mice eating poisonous bait will diebut no other mice will eat that bait for a long period of time. Mouse species which iscommonly referred to as rat is highly predatory. It is this species which spreads theplague by carrying fleas in their hair. Thus it can be said that rats were equallyresponsible for mass human deaths as wars throughout the history. This and othersimilar problems caused by mice were experienced within the boundaries of theOttoman Empire from time to time, causing numerous villages to be wiped off themap and various others to incur damages. In addition to spreading the plague, micehave also damaged military ammunition, cultivated land, and official documents ofthe Ottoman Empire. Mice have caused food shortage and consequently priceincreases in various regions by damaging crops. The Ottoman Empire was forced totake various measures to prevent the damage caused by mice. These measuresinclude but are not limited to special herbal liquids, importing pesticides fromabroad, mouse traps and poison.