The New York herald., 1877-02-04
THE sPITEFUL sPITz.
MEDICAL OPINIONS ON THE SUBJECT or AIs
SUPPRESSION.

MEDICAL OPINIONS ON THE SUBJECT or HIs
SUPPRESSION.
In the leading drug aud other rendezvous Of
physicians yesterday afternoon, one Of the principal
topics OF convorsaton was tho HERALD's revelations
AZ 10 tho increased mortality from hydrophoba
able to tho popularity OF the Spz dog Singu-
lar as IL may appear to who well acquainted
with the recent literature OF hydrophobia there are
physicians in this city who doubt whether such NAL.
ady really exists, and are inclined TO class the cases
usually such under the general caption Of hys-
terra Our reporter had an extended talk with ono
Of these sceptcs yesterday, who. having never met
real case of the disorder inclined to regard II
q myth and all reports to It's existence sensa-
tional Tho drift of enlightened medical opinion, how
ever is that tho peril consequent upon the intro
duction Of the Sptz In America such TO call for
immediate action. sThere are NO statutes In exist
encc" said medical critic yesterday afternoon,
(which all adequate TO meet the exgency that
the HERALD demonstrated to exist BY an appeal to
the records OF Coroncrs Office These records, so
far from presenting exaggerated view OF the sub
;ho facts. On the contrary IT is not probable that
more than one-halt OF the genuine cases OF hydro.
phoba ha; occur In THIS city are ever reported 70 'ns %
Of the notoriety OF an inquisiton and OF the
very idea OF having relative or member OF tne family
submitted to post-mortem examinations and tho con-
is that tho family physician certines TO some
fictitious cause OF death, and the case Is reported
mortality"
ceases of hydrophobin," said The venerable Dr.
Joseph Worster OF East Thirteenth street, yesterday
IN res ponse request for his opinion. nave been
SO rare IN my Practice ,na sr ~ s"niect which
real light is needed OF course IT has long been the
opinion Of tho ablest ply sSons tnas % % may
that one species Is more dangerous than an
other has not heretofore received any attcn-
ton, because, perhaps. cases OF genuine ny dro-
phobia have, until within the last lew years,
scarcely entered all into the experience Of the gem
eral practitioner Whether the saliva OF the Spitz is
more deadly that Of his fellows or whether Tho
mortality duo to his agency is accustomed oy the Tact
that OF all the received from the teeth OF dogs
ninety nine in every hundred are inflicted by
tins single Species question that iuture obsorva
tons must determine. Tho HERALD has opened tho
cves Of tic profession to the fact that whatever the
physical may the Spitz responsible for the
recent augmentation OF cases OF nyaropno9,a .c IN
epce how science settles tho minor question. The
major ono is that something should be done
sanitary regulations formed IN such manner
as to cover the new ISSUE: They presuppose. IN the
tho summer months; and second, that tho teeth Of
q non rabid animal cannot inocuate with the poison
AS they stand the rosuasons arc o. NO use
months whcn OF the two the liability TO inocuatton
is greatest 1 think the HERALD should advocate q
complete reconstruction OF the sanitary code as con-
Germs the dog question:"
SUGGESTING REPoRM.
s'Have you anything 10 suggest IN tnat way, DOC
"why, yes. replied the aged practitioner. 'First,
the Irovsions the code should be applied all tho
year O ud aud dogs should bo permitted on the
Street ut all unmuZzed Second to reduce their
number sufficient tax should be laid on dogs to rem
der Sptzes xpenstvc luxury. This would tend 10
all except valuable breeds OF dogs ana 70
Keep the latter within convenient limits ~
DR.. Charles II. Shepard, OF Brooklyn, who mas gwen
consideraDel attention the subject, thinks man
might as well keep tame rattlesnake as spz but,
bein- enthusiast for Turkish baths, nc IS rather
grateful for any dlspensaton OF Providence that tends
to demonstrate their value He comedies however,
that after the pa-oxysms have once set IN medical skill
has proved unavaing avert 70 post
pone the fatal sequel
The views enunc!atod by Dr. Worster adequately rep
resent the drilt OF scientific opinion on the spitz
question. Although the increasing frequency
OF cases during the last ten years has
clans familiar with the symptoms or hydro
phobia very few have observed sufficient number oil
all their circumstances TO establish any direct
relation between the beautiful little Spitz and the re-
cent deaths from this source. The majority OF our
practitioners frankly that although the materials
for the formation OF correct views on tho subject may
have existed years scattered nquisitions and
ports has taken the trouble 10 collect anu COL
late them part OF medical literature One member
of the profession whom reporter visited yesterday
and called the attention OF his society to
the fact that OF hydrophob'a are more
common among the Germans than any other class OF
citizens but the solution OF the problem had not oc
Cured his mind until the agency OF the spitz was
pointed out aud demonstrated by the incontestioe evi
Health should submit such amendments TO the sani-
tnry codo will tho more recent facts He also
suggests that such regulations should always be made
sellexecutngthat is say, infractops OF the code
should be made punis shable with hnes part OF which
should nure the person making the complaint thus
en- listing the SELF interest OF every citizen in the e1.
cicnt administration pf the law. He Is not apprehen-
sve that our German population VIII enter upon any
foolish opposition to regulations which are both sau-
tary and convenient and tend to abate the nuisance
created by the lack OF rational and compre-
records of cited in the HERALD snd 70 lay thcm
before the Medico- Legal Society at an carly date.