Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-12
RABIES IN THE DISTRICT
The Department Of Agriculture Defines
Boundaries of Infected Territory.
Comm issioners to Issue Proclamation
In Certain ConttnEency-They
Ask for Information.

The Department of Agriculture has is
sued a notice to the effect that rabies or
hydrophobia exists In the District and in
adjacent counties of Maryland and Vir-
gfnia. and the territory in question has
been declared by the department to be an
infected district. The department has.
therefore, ordered that no animal of any
species which is infected with the disease,
or which has been bitten by rabid ami
falls, shall be transported. driven or allow
ed to stray from the District into Maryland
or Virginia or from Maryland or Virginia
into the District. The department has also
prohibited the movement of all dogs from
the District into Maryland and Virginia
and from said counties into the District.
provided, however, that such prohibition
shall not apply to dogs which are securely
muzzled so that they cannot bite. Per-
sons violating the department order will
be subject to prosecution. and all dogs
Drought or allowed to stray across the des-
1gnatad boundary lines will be summarily
seized, the department states.
The District Commissioners have taken
official notice of this statement of the De-
Partment of Agriculture. and it is under
stood they will today communicate with
Secretary Wilson and request him to fur
nlsh them with such information as his
department may possess of the existence
OF rabies or hydrophobia here and in the
adjacent counties of Virginia and Mary
land. Officially. the Commissioners have
no knowledge of the existence of the dis
ease, either here or in the two states
named. unless the above mentioned notice
Of Secretary Wilson may be taken as an
official notification.
Willing to Aid.
In their letter to Secretary Wilson. it ia
stated. the Commissioners will advise him
that they stand ready and willing to rem
der his department any and all assistance
IN their power in tar Fl
AS was explained In The Star several days
ago the Commissioners are authorized and
directed. by an act of Congress of 1878, to
issue a proclamation, when they have rea-
son to believe that rabies or hydrophobia
exists in the District recurring ali dogs
when running at large. to be muzzIed in
such manner as to prevent the animal Is
from biting or swapping. If they are Of
hcially notified by Secretary Wilson that
the disease does exist in the District it is
cnce Issued by them.
Work of Poundmaster.
The poundmaster and his increased force
are busily engaged in capturing and i'm
pounding all dogs found running at large
without the tag and collar which the law
requires such animals to wear when at
large. eighty dogs having been captured
and impounded yesterday by Poundma ster
Efnstein and his men. The law requires the
poundmaster to keep all captured dogs
f6rty-eiSht hours, and tc destroy them at
the expiration of that period unless re-
claimed by their owners, who must pay a
fee of 81 for each animal taken up.
The members of the police force have
been specially directed by the Commission
ers to rigidly enforce the law requiring The
owners of dogs to pay the required license
of 81, and the judges of the Police Court
have been urged by the Commissioners 20
assist In such enforcement of the law.