The Rat Catcher of Hamelin Was a Real Job

Before public health departments and pest control companies, cities employed official rat catchers who prowled streets and sewers with terriers, traps, and bare hands. We're diving deep into this grimy, dangerous profession that kept medieval and Victorian cities from being overrun—exploring their ingenious techniques, their surprising celebrity status, and the one royal rat catcher whose collection of dead vermin made him famous across England.