There is a Rat in the Kitchen

The other day I have this mother bring in her 5 kids which are all under the age of 8. All the kids look fine. As I walk into the room to start the exam I pick up the chart and it says "strange marks all over the body". The patient was the youngest child a 9 month old male. I had the mother place the baby on the exam table and I began to undress the infant and ask the mother questions. She began to explain to me in spanish that the baby was bitten by rats.

It was unbelievable. I had the baby lying there just in his diapers and he was covered in soars. I counted 35 in all. They looked like little bite marks. The mother  explained that their house is infested with rats and that she has talked with the landlord many times but nothing ever gets done. I explained all of this to my attending and he came in and looked and was not too surprised. He later explained that he has seen this a handful of times. We admitted the baby to the hospital and started him on rabies prophylaxis. 

The attending told her that they have to get rid of the rats. The mother explained that they had tried everything but they could not get rid of the rats and that they are trying to save money so that they can afford to move to a better place. He told her that in the meantime they need to feed the rats so that the leave the baby alone and that they need to sleep with the baby to assure that no rats can get to him. 

Wow!