Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-19
DOG TRAY In DANGER.
The Canine Crusade Being Pushed
to a Vigorous Conclusion.
EIGHT HUNDRED PET PUPS DEAD.
A Doctor Objects to the Way in Which
Poison is Handled.
BUTTON, BUTTON, WHO HAS THE BUTTON


lice of the First district were supplied with
ten "buttons" apiece last night and it is ex-
pected that two or three hundred dogs will
be found dead this morning as result.
This will wind up the work in the First
| district for the present and no buttons will
be used in any part Of the city to-day or to-
morrow. On Monday the Second district
will begin and keep up the work for q
week. Thirty-four dogs were reported killed
at the Twelfth ward station at IL o'clock
last night
Chief Brown yesterday received long
letter from DIR. W. 81. Winslow, of Shady
side, commencing him for his enforcement
of the dog-days' law and bidding him God
speed in the externination of CANNES. The
doctor says that the maudlin sentiment that
causes reasonable human beings to
fondle, hug and caress dogs should
be discouraged and the determination of
them, as pests, is the most practicable way
to do so. He argues that dog is vicious
brute, whose bite even in perfect health is as
dangerous as when suffering from rabies, as
poisonous so netimes as that of a rattlesnake,
and claims he can furnish abundant proof
for his assertion. He says this city has been
so overrun with dogs that it was unsafe to
pass along the principal business streets.
and quotes an instance of little girl who
few weeks ago was bitten severely in IA places
by a dog on Smithfeld street, whose owner
gave neither recompense nor sympathy, yet
q surgeons services have been necessary
ever since.
PLACING THE RESPONSIBILITY.
DIR. W. C. Byers, of Penn avenue, yester.
day communicated with police headquar-
farc trod hof hn fax in
placing the buttons, as he had had a case of
q child who had picked one up and had a
narrow escape from death.
DR.. Byers stated to THE DISPATCH that
there was great danger in the closely popu-
lated districts, where children do not get
the watching that they should, and might
pick up and eat the poisoned meat in ignor-
ance of its fatal effect.
DR.. Byers was asked who would be held
responsible in the event of child becoming
poisoned like the one reported yesterday.
He said: 1.-The policeman could not be
held to account for it if death had resulted,
as he was acting under the instructions of
his superiors. The officer first discovered
the child acting in manner which
indicated that it was suffering from
poisoning and he at once supposed that the
little girl picked up the poisoned meat
which he had thrown on First street, intend
ing it for canine that had made itself par
ticularly obnoxious in that locality. The
child's face became badly discolored and
showed other symptoms of poisoning,
and he Immediately notified the child's
mother of his suspicious. The wo-
man became greatly alarmed and did
not know for a time just what to do. She
picked the child up and broughtit here in
great haste. 1 gave the child an emetic,
,oI - hi hor Iii
right. If the child had died from it, it
would be question who would be response
BILE for its death.
THERE is LAW FOR IT.
"The city in its crusade against dogs Is
backed up by an act of Legislature which
authorizes them to kill off all unlicensed
dogs during certain period of the year.
It is a question for some one better
acquainted with the laws han myself as to
who would be directly responsible for the
death of persons from this source or from
any other way which would be traced to the
dead dogs lying about.
''If dog is given strychnine this kind
of weather." con ntinued DR.. Byers, "it does
not take long for the carcass to purify,
which is sometimes liable to contamlnate
the air with foul smelling odors. Persons
afflicted with certain diseases living in the |
Vicinity vi HueT6 u O6aQ QOg |
has been lying for some time are liable to |
experience bad effects from it. and, while it |
may not be fatal, it will be effective in pre- |
venting sick person from getting well, but |
as l understand it, dogs are removed in |
short time after they are poisoned, in such |
time it is impossible for it to do any great |
harm. Another feature about this exter- |
mination of the tramp CANNES and one
which is to be most feared. Is the muzzling
of the dogs; don't think that there is any
thing more productive of madness among
dogs than muzzling them. 1t is like putting
a man in a straitjacket and tying him up
by the thumbs to undergo the agonizing |
effect of having restraint put upon certain |
parts of the body, which must be esentially |
free, or otherwise madness would be the |
final result, after being compelled to un-
dergo this excruciating torture for an in |
definite length of time.
MUzzLING PRODUCES MADNESS.
81 have given this phaze of the question |
some consideration, and from what have |
observed, find that the muzzle is produc-
tive of madness among dogs nine times out of |
ten. You can see that the dogs are always
to get them off and to 90
around. Muzzled works against the
animals grain. A dog attempts unsuccess-
fully to remove the abhorred muzzle and
finally loses all patience and gets off down |
the street at great pace, yelping and froth- |
ing at the mouth, which is an indication
that the dog is mad. Some other method |
should be employed to keep the dogs from |
biting persons.
81 think the manner in which the dogs |
are disposed of is not as good as it might be. |
We had a dog pound here some years ago
at the Dolly Warden glass house, on the
corner of Second avenue and Try street,
which seemed to be run with great success,
but this was discontinued after the property
was torn down. Fifty cents was charged to
have dog released from the pound, and if
il was not taken out in a specified time it,was
drowned. This plan is running successfully
in other cities, and the health of the COM
muDity in which the dogs are drowned is
not jeopardized in the least, as they are re-
moved Immediately after. Think that this
process should be given trial by the
authorities here.
''The proposed tax on dogs is excessive.
There are many people who are fond of
keeping dogs, but tax of S. or $40 would
not allow them. A uniform tax should be
established which could be paid by all per-
sons, and if not they should not be per-
mitted to keep pets. The agitation of the
question is one that, as far as I can discern,
does not involve any other place but Pitts
burg. Inc question does not Interest per-
sons in other cities as much as here in Pitts
burg, where so much fuss is made over the
killing of dogs this summer"
ANOTHER CRITICISM.
DR.. John Dickson, another physician on
Penn avenue, talked to on the effect muzzles
had on dogs. He said: "There is nothing
hat would set a dog mad sooner than a
nuzzle. I have never seen dog vet that
was content with being muzzled. They are
always making vain attempts to gnaw them
'f, which so irritates the nerves that it is
not to be wondered at if thew 90 mad in
I don't think that dead dogs
ying about the street for a short TIME
would have any dangerous results on the
public health, although it may be
detrimental to the recovery of sick
persons. The stencil arising from the car
,ass OF dead dogs, I know, is not likely to
ill the air with curative propensities. It
would be safer though. think. if the citv