Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-21
NQRDER TO MUZZLE DOGS
ITS RENEWAL NOT REGARDED AS
NECESSARY.
UntngEed Animals to Be Taken in
Charge by Poundmaster-View
of Citizens.

Charge by POundmaster-Vieyv
of Citizens.
The order of the District Commissioners
requiring dogs when running at large to be
SO muZZied as to prevent tire ANIMALS from
swapping biting. which expired by linn
itation Tuesday. will not be renewed IN
less the Commissioners are ofilcialy in
formed that -apies exist here to such an eX-
tent as to make such action necessary. AS
Commissioner Ross explained to a reporter
Of The Star the Commissioners know
of existing case Of rabies in the District.
Therefore it appears to them that con-
tinuance of the order which expired Tues
day is not necessary.
While dogs may now run at large with
out being muzzled, the Commissioners de-
sire dog owners to understand that the
work OF the poundmaSter'5 force OF dog
Catchers viii not he dis, on:inued These
men have been instructed TO continue the
work of impending ali dogs found at large
without the tag required by law TO be worn
by the animals.
The presence of the tag on a dog is prima
facie evidence that its owner has paid the
tax on the animal and the absence of the
Tag Will BE- taken ae nrtma facie evidence
mat the law in regard to the payment of
the tax has rot been complied with. There
fore. all dogs found at large without a tag
VIII be im1ounlSd. and can only be rccov-
cred by their owners by the payment to the
pGundmaSter of - for each animal i'm
pounded. This payment is required to be
made in the case Of every deg found with
out the tag. and it is understood the Com
m s<iOnerS hold that they are not author
ICED to permit the return Of an impounded
tagiess dog without such payment being
made.
From a report made by the poundmaster,
NJ ,tI,1 I>ir,-.t ..ir,
it appears ma curing the * months which
expired Tuesday and during which the
mUzaing order was in force, no less than
3."91 dogs were mpounded. either because
they We're found at arse without the re-
quired muzzle or tag. or both. OF these
but 80 were redeemed by their owners. OF
the animals not redeemed. 2.4:.I We're killed
by the poundmaster as required by law; IS
We're sold and ) were returned 10 their
owners.
DIR. .>"her Expresses surprise.
DIR. Kober's views: q am, of course. sur
piised that the muzzle ordinance has not
been renewed, especially since l judge from
DR.. Samon's statement to The Star that
rabies still prevails in The District. If this
be true Il single rabbi animal may infiict
within few hours ncalcUlaIic injury TO
man or other animals. The opposition TO
the ordinance j. very strong and active,
but sentiment should not enter into The
CONSUL t tl tILt -lslJtt- 10. II =4iii-
ply gu. stion of law a.i facts. II II be
shown by competent authority that there
is a single case of rabies in tn" District,
the ordinance i just as Necessary today
II vas week or six months ago.
The city If buffalo has passed through
similar experience. hut with rigid and
IMPARTIAL enforcement Of the law the cpl
damio has been stamped out. No one can
predict what the result of non-enfnrce-
ment Of :he muzzle ordinance Will he here.
but the health officer. the bureau of animal
industry and ihe medical profession have
done their duty, and it is to be hoped that
there will be no occasion for regrets.
PERSONALLY, | do not approve of the
leather strap muzzIe, and consider the wire
basket muZzle much more efficient and
humane.
Rabies Well Defined.
81 have not followed the question Of
rabies in the District closely of late" said
DR.. Henry d. Fry today, but If it is true
that rabies still exists here the muzzle
should not be taken off the dogs. Rabies
is as well defined as any other disease. |
have couple Of dogs of my own, but | do
NOT go SO far in my admiration of them
as to think that their comfort can compare
to the lives of people.
Curious Craze.
ct is most curious craze said DR. J.
Ford Thompson. THAT medical men should
take the ground that there is no sucn thing
AS hydruphubia. That disease is as We'll
established as typhoid fever. 1t has been
proved cinically. Proof of the existence of
hydrophoDia is such that no human being
would be justified in doubling that it does
exist, in both animals and mem
DIR. :. :. Adams Views.
Il think the dogs should be muzzled or
chained until there is rabies In the
District of Columbia said DIR. S. S. Adj
ans. Every dog that il caught without
nuzzle no matter 10 whom it belongs
should be mpounded. Tho trouble now is
ttat at shutdown the muzzlcs are taken off
the dogs.
At is simply futile to dispute the exist
cnce Of rabies as a disease. II is well es-
tablished. While | do not know from per-
sCnal Investigation that there is rabies in
the District Of Columbia, when n man Of
the standing OF Dr. Salmon says it is prev
aivnt here accept his statement as Il
fact just as ! do not doubt the presence
Of smallpox here today, although l have
never seen case of smallpox.
The muZZles that have been used here
have generally been OF little use. With
many of them on the dogs can oI,en their
mouths and can bite, so that in effect the
order has not been enforced as 1t should
have been. The wire muzzlcs to permit the
dog to breathe and TO effectually prevent
il from biting. should be used.
at seems to me that the physician is the
last one to accuse of being inhuman in
connection with their advocacy of the
muZZling of the dogs. ] think if there could
be n comparison of how their horses and
the horses of the people who are clamoring
about the muZZles are cared for Il would
show that the latter are very frequently in
human in the way they check their animals
up. so that they breathe with difficulty.'
Existence Of HydrophObia.
Il am surprised to find that there are
people who dispute the existence of hydro
phobia," said DR.. W. W. Johnston, who
was called on by a Star reporter today.
There is no more question about the ex-
istence of hydrophobia then there Is about
pneumonia. Instead Of discussing the pro-
priety of setting aside the muzzlins order
We should be considering the more perfect
muzzling Of the dogs.
Il have myself seen three cases of hydro
phobia' continued Or. Johnston. "A cou-
pie OF years ago l was called to one of
these cases, and l was at first very s6epti-
cal about 1t. But 1t was genuine case
of hydrophObia. The patient rapidly grew
worse and died in four days. There is no
question in my mind that the disease
lists. that IT involves great suffering and
that ii is uniformly fatal
Dr. Johnston regarded the present method
1T. Foot