Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-12

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
While the subject of rabies and rabd
animals Is being much discussed by the
people of Washington. 1t may be of inter
est to your readers to know what has
been going on in this line at Columbus
Ohio. where this disease has been 50 alarm
icgly prevalent during the past year The
subject has been carefully and thoroughly
Investigated by DIR. White and Dr. Brum-
ley of the veterinary department of the
Ohio State University, with whom my past
two years have been spent In the first
place allow me to correct very common
fallacy that Of the belief that warm wealth
er, especially August or dog days" is the
time at which rabies flourish best. This is
absolutely incorrect Rabies can and do
exist al all times. ard, as matter of fact.
have been more prevalent in Columbus dur
ing the past winter than at any other
time.
Lastly and the most important factor IS
that it is a highly infectious disease. due
to a non-isolated germ which is transmit
ted by direct inOculatiOn into fresh wounds
made by rabid animals teeth and into which
its saliva is poured. After this one week to
three months may clapsc before the disease
makes its appearance in the inoculated ami
NAL. In rare cases it may go longer. We
thea distinguish Two forms by which the
animal is attacked namely, furious or
raging or dumb form. The former has been
by far the most prevalent in our city, and
is thought to he in most outbreaks. 1t is
much more dangerous to both man and
animal Our first outbreak occurred some
time during October A very large En-
glish mastiff was discovered In the south
side of the city 1T tl.at time. He vas
found to have bitten several other dogs
ard very valuable horse belonging to the
Columbus Gas Company. From there he
wandered to the north side of the city, Il
q G,-- l
again began biting. Ho was afterward
killed by street car. In the course of two
weeks several dogs and the horse showed
symptoms typical CT the disease. The
horse was removed to the University Hos
p.tal, where he subsequently died. having
demonstrated a typical case. Most of the
dogs We're tied and observed in cases where
owners were aware of the dogs having been
bitten, and were finally brought to the hos
pital, where they We're killed. In cases
where shooting is Impossible they are killed
by placing ferrocyanide of potassium on
q stick and allowing item to grab it IN
their mouths.
In the north end of the city a large
Newfoundland dog, belonging to a saloon
keeper. succumbcd to the disease. While
free upon the street he bit two children
and one man, besides numerous dogs. He
was captured by the hospital authorities
and confined
The wounds on the people were cauterzed
by local physicians and the patients sent
to the Pasteur institute in Chicago. We're
also several others who were bitten by
other dogs. To my knowledge only one
has failed to respond to the treatment. he
having died about three months after being
bitten.
From the saloonkeepers dog six rabbits
were inoculated intracranially, all of them
developing the disease later, from which
they died, thus substantiatng our dag
nosis. This process of incubation was
carried out in numerous other casls with
the same results.
After this a wholesale killing of dogs
took place throughout the city by the po-
lice thus thinning out the vast population
of ours, there being no city tax to keep
them down. This was not done. however.
until the disease became widely dissent
mated, appearing in large dairy of very
fire cows. and resulting in the death of
four of the best ones. One was taken TO
tho hospital, where she soon died. Besides
three cows. quite number of horses, all
very valuable animals, have been bitten
and died. The disease is now reduced to
minimum through t lie continued efforts of
the university doctors and the police.
In cases where very valuable animals are
bitten the Pasteur method of vaccination
may be resorted to, as is done by the hu-
man, but in all others the animal should
be extermnated soon as bitten. 1t is
such highly dangerous infectious disease
that it cannot be tempered with. If those
persons who are so anxious to ridicule ac-
t,lal facts were to follow up closely the
work done by the United States bureau Of
animal industry and state laboratories. in