Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-09
MUZZLE ORDER lNDORSED
LETTER FROM DR. KOBER TO DIS
TRICT COMMISSIONERS.
Demonstrated Cases of Rabies In Dogs
Accepts Opinions of Trust-
worthy Authorities.

has addressed a letter to the District Com
missioners relative to their dog muzzling
order trusting that it will not be rescinded
as long as cases of rabies exist here.
an view of the persistent Efforts wrote
DIR. Kober, "of a number of residents in
this city against the enforcement of the
so-called 'muZZle order, the undersigned
feels constrained. in the interests of pub
lie health. to utter a few words in sup
port of this ordinance. 1 do not deem it
necessary to point out that there Is such
a disease as rabies. or hydrophobia, in
animals and man; this has been done
most conclusively by DIR. D. E. Salmon,
who is not, as has been alleged. a young
scientific enthusiast. but gentleman of
mature years and judgment. of large ex-
perience and observation, man of inter-
national reputation and whose scientific
attachments appear to be better known
abroad than by certain residents in the
District of Columbia According to his
statistics on page g. Bulletin No. 80. copy
of which l beg to inclose. rabies has been
on the increase during the past six years
in the District: The number of demon
sirated cases of rabies in dogs by years is
as follows: 1895. .: 1896. ): 1897. 3: 1898. Z;
1899, ~; 1890 ito March 80. Is
An Offer Accepted.
This same competent and conscientious
observer. says DR.. Kober in answer to an
advertisement of a member of the medical
society, offering Gin the interest of science"
500 reward for lease of hydrophobia In
either man or dog" promptly proposed in
a local paper OF February %, 1897, to pro-
duce cases of this disease, on condition
that the nature of the disease in the af-
fected dogs brought forward under the adj
vertisement be determined by a committee
to be appointed by the Medical Society Of
the District Of Columbia and that the
ward. if earned. be paid to the Associated
Charities of the District of Columbia, to
be used in benevolent work. This propo-
sition. DR.. kober declares, was never acted
upon except by the withdrawal of the adj
vertiSement.
DIR. kober says he has never seen a case
of hydrophobia in man. nor has he seen
cases of plague, yellow fever and cholera;
but he is perfectly willing to accept the
opinion of competent and trustworthy au-
thorities- As student of preventive medi-
cine he knows, for example, that the dis
ease Is much more frequent in animals than
in man. and that it may be communicated
TO other domestic animals.
The Recorded Cases.
He says, of 57s cases carefully recorded
in Germany during the year 1885, the dis
ease was distributed among animals as fol-
lows: Dogs. 43S; cattle. 50; sheep, -; pigs.
:: horses, 3: cats. 3; goats. l.
OF $40 cases of hydrophobia in man COL
lected by Bauer of Munich the disease oc-
these 12o persons were between the age of
two and fourteen years. 1S2 persons were
between the age of fifteen and fifty years
and 80 persons were between the age of
ffty-one and lightweight years.
Statistics also show, asserts Dr. Kober
that only about p to 20 per cent of persons
bitten by rabid animal actually develop
the disease. This is partly due, he ex-
plains, to the protection afforded against
the virus by the clothing and partly due to
natural immunity.
We do not have to go to Europe for
statistics" says DIR. Kober "for, unfortu-
nately. this distressing disease has been
seen and treated by medical men in this
city and they should be heard before the
demand for the withdrawal of the muZzle
order is granted. The members of the
medical profession can have no motives
other than the highest and purest when
they advocate Legislation in the interests of
public health and thereby lessen their own
income.
''As sanitarians recognize that the
most effective preventive measures are the
dog tax and the 'muzzle.' The tax pre-
vents an undue accumulation of tramp
dogs and the muzzle order, if strictly en-
forced. prevents the bite from rabid dogs
Statistics in Europe abundantly demon
strate the efficacy of these two measures
the reduction in the number of cases of
hydrnphobia in man amounting in Prussia
since 1858 to over 30 per cent.
Protection to Pets.
These laws, as I conceive them, more
over. AFFORD the only protection to our pet
animals. a few years ago a bright, faith
ful and handsome water spaniel belonging
to my nephew was bitten by a tramp dog
In West Washington and developed symp-
toms OF rabies. The diagnosis was con-
frmed by two veterinarians. and this af-
fectionate animal. the pet of the household
had to be killed with chloroform in order
to prevent greater mischief and TO end his
terrible suffering. This fact alone would
array me on the side of the advocates for
the enforcement of the muzze order but
when l recall the clinical picture of hydro
phobia as observed by competent physicians
in man. especially in little children, whose
imagination can scarcely influence the
symptoms of this horrible disease and
that all this suffering can be prevented
with little or no discomfort to our pet ami
mails, / venture to express the hope that
the honorable Commissioners will not
swerve from their path OF duty, which is
clearly indicated by enlightened legisla-
ton In every civilized country. and that
the muzzle order will not be rescinded so
long as cases of rabies are reported to
exist in the District of Columbia.
The Medical Society of the District of
Columbia recently appointed a committee
to investigate the subject. and / trust that
action Will be suspended until the report
of this committee. of which am not a
member, Is accessible to you-for 1t seems
to me eminently proper that the advocates