Creepy Photos Reveal A Different Side History

A professional "rat catcher" showing off his kill.

Here's a shot of a professional "rat catcher" showing off his kill. Once upon a time, rat catchers would scour the sewers of Europe in search of vermin because they received money for each rat they killed (1904). These rat-catchers were the early form of professional form of pest control and incredibly important. Keeping the rat population under control was widely practiced throughout Europe in order to help prevent the spread of diseases, most notoriously the Black Plague. These pest control efforts also helped prevent damage and contamination to food supplies.