Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-09
M UZZLING THE DOGS
ORDER DISCUSSED
AT LENGTH IN THE SENATE.
Messrs. GallinEer, Vest, Warren, VOL
colt and Bacon Give Their
Views.

over the recent order of the Commissioners
requiring the muzzling of dogs in the Dis
trict of Columbia. Various opinions regard
ing the presence Of hydrophobia, whether
It be largely disease of the Imagination or
not. and local conditions relating to it were
talked about.
This subject was brought up by Mr.. Gal
linger, who is himself a physician, laying
before the Senate resolutions adopted by a
mass meeting in this city on March 30. and
a petition protesting against the muzzling
order. signed by 1000 residents of the Dis
trtct among which were names Of many
prominent citizens. The petition and reso-
lutions were transmitted to the Senate by
Mr.. George W. Evans, who presided at the
mass meeting.
Il regard this order said Senator Cal
linger. after having read the letter of trans
INITIAL 'as unnecessary, unjust and cruel.
and l trust that the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia will have the good
sense to revoke it,
Senator Vest arose to inquire of Mr. Gal
linger whether he believed there was such
disease as hydrophobia.
Had Never Seen n Case.
Mr.. Gallinger said in answer that he
would say that he had practiced medicine
for thirty years and had never seen a case
Of hydrophobia- He had consulted with a
great many physicians who had served long
terms In hospitals of the United States, who
asserted that they had never seen case of
hydrophobia, also that DR.. Mary Putnam,
who for long time has practiced medicine
in New York. had said that she had not
seen a case of hydrophobia. He said he
did not believe there was a case of rabies
in the District of Columbia this year, or
last year. or the year before. He said
that the dogs were the best friends of men
and he saw no reason why they should be
forced to go around with muzZleS.
Mr.. Vest remarked that he had friend
who died with hydrOphobia, and that he
had all the aversion of water common to
that disease. and that he also parked like
dog.
Mr.. GallInger promptly replied that bark
Ing like dog was no symptom of hydro
phobia.
Mr.. Vest replied that one Of the greatest
physicians of Kentucky had pronounced he
case hydrophobia. Mr.. Vest said that ne
had lately noticed by the newspapers of this
city that dogs had bitten children ard had
been sent off for examination by a chemist
in order to ascertain whether they suffered
from hydrophobia. He said that he knew
the disease was very rare one. and was
glad that God, In His mercy, had made 1t a
rare malady, for otherwise 1t would be the
curse of the whole human family. He said
II there was any possibility of one person
getting hydrophobia he would be in favor
of muzzlfng every dog in the country. He
said he knew there were some insane per-
sens who paid as much 500 or 81 900 for
dog, and he supposed that this objection
to the muzZles came from this class of peE,-
PIE He thought there could be no question
about the propriety of muzzling the dogs.
Mr.. Gallinger said that he was not con-
tending there was no such disease as by
drophobia. but he said 1t was so rare that
it was not worth while to discuss it. He
remarked that he had lately read in a Phil
adeiphia paper of whole family being
saved from a confagration by the alarm
given by the watchdog. He said that dogs
had saved q hundred times a jS-as
had ever been lost through hydrophobia.
Mr.. Warren asked whether there was any
reason to suspect that hydrophobia is more
prevalent in Washington than in any other
city.
Mr.. Gallinger remarked that he considered
its prevalence here merely the result of
some scientific young gentleman desiring to
discover the disease.
Mr. Wolcott's Speech.
Mr.. Wolcott then made a very sarcastic
and stirring speech, in which he said that
in his opinion there was no more danger IN
Washington than anywhere else from dogs
with hydrophobia. but he said the trouble
was that under our system Of government
We could not have muzzling order for the
ertire United States. He said that such an
order had been promulgated throughout
Great Britain. and that the disease of
hydrophobia had been stamped out After
II had been stamped out they were enabled
to do away with the order. Up 10 that
time there had been thousands of cattle
killed from hydrophobia, as well many
people. but the disease had been absolutely
exterminated by the universal muzzling or
der. He said that the opposition to the
muzzling order came from ignorant ply
sicians and mock humanitarians. He said
that he had lately read that thousands of
cattle in New Jersey had been bitten by
dogs and had died from hydrophobia. He
said that If the United States could have a
universal muzzling order the disease could
be absolutely stamped out from the Atlantic
to the Pacific.
At the conclusion of these remarks Mr..
Gallinger said that he was delighted to hear
this scientific exposition the subject OF
hydrphobia but he didn't believe the state
ments that had been made
Mr.. Wolcott asked whether he spoke as a
physician or as a senator, to which Mr..
Gallinger replied. II speak as both"
Mr.. Bacon then gave some instances that
had occurred in his state of Georgia. on his
own farm. in which seven or eight head OF
cattle had been bitten by dogs and had died
from what was supposed to be hydrophobia.
He didn't know whether 1t was hydro
phobia, but il was accompanied by the
symptoms of that disease. followed the bite
of dog, and the name didn't make much
difference to him.
The controversy over the muzZlng order
here ended, and the petition which had
given rise to 1t was referred to the commit
tee on the District of Columbia.