The damage to lead-sheathed cables by rodents and insects

Some accounts of damage to lead-sheathed cables by rodents and insects have been reviewed and an attempt has been made to summarize the grounds on which the various authorities appear to have based their conclusions. Damage by rodents, and damage by insects to cables above ground, is probably related to the presence of organic matter either as extraneous debris or as an essential component of the cable serving or associated structures. The problem of preventing damage by termites to buried cables is complex. Several suggestions are made with reference to the nature of the problem and the information required in order to find a satisfactory answer.