The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-18
MDZZLE Law DISCUSSED
O,iuiops of Citizens on the Exien-
sion of the Order.
It's Continuance After Tomorrow De-
ponds ON the Report Of the Health
Odicer-A Compromise Suggested-
The Restriction Held to Be No Safe
guard AEninst Dangerous Dogs.

The order issued December 10. 1899, b!
the District Commissioners requiring thai
all dogs be securely muzzled while run
ming at large in the public streets will
expire by limitation tomorrow. Durin.
the six months in which the order Ia!
been in force il has provoked much dis
cutsion and aroused great antagonism L
ha., proved vastly unpopular, and since it.
PRONUNCIATION the time of the Commits
sicners has been consumed to a consider
able extent in hearing complaints and il
adjudicating claims for the remission of tn,
fees paid by those whose licensed dog!
have been illegally impounded.
1t is understood that il any action i.
taken by the Commissioners for the con.
tinuance or abrogation of the muzzle order
: 1t will largely depend upon the Iepor,
which the Health Officer will transmit t.
them. If. in his opinion, rabies exists il
the District, as is alleged in reports o.
!. the Bureau Of Animal Industry of the
: Department OF Agriculture, 1t may bt
assumed that the present order will b.
extended by the Commissioners, or a new
order Of similar import issued. This as
sumption is based upon the recent action
Of the Board of Commissioners in -efus-
ing to adopt a motion to rescind the order
at the instance Of Commissioner Macfar=
land.
: The position taken upon the subject at
all times by Commissioner Ross has been
that the action of the Board should depend
upon the facts regarding the existence OF
rabies in the District. Mr.. Ross init
mated 4 few days ago that some express
sion OF popular sentiment on the question
OF extending the order would be highly
interesting to all concerned. Following
out that suggestion The Times presents
the views of a number of representative
citizens on the subject.
A Compromise SuKgested.
Thomas ". Gilmer, OF 545 Florida Ave-
nue., has written to the Commissioners
suggesting that the order requiring the
dogs Of the District to be muzzled while
running at large be not renewed for Pc
riod OF three months as means Of ascer-
tanning whether the order really checks
the supposed existence of rabies.
Permit me to suggest compromise"
he says, in the matter Of renewing the
cember. As it is impossible to have all
dogs muzzled the ordinance seems to be
ineffective. Therefore, to ascertain wheth-
er the ordinance really checks the sup
posed rabies l suggest that there should
be no renewal of the proclamation for
three months. At the end Of that period
the question of renewal should depend
upon the practical results.
IF the supposed rabies should then be
shown to be on the increase the procla-
nation might be renewed without serious
opposition. AS the owner of dog l am
personally interested, but would not OPP
pose muzzling If it should be conclusiyely
shown to be necessary.
This solution of the question would re-
lieve thousands of dogs from the torture
OF the muzzle during the hot weather, and
am in hopes that 1t may be favorably
considered"
Or. William Tindall, Secretary to the
Board OF Commissioners, said when ap-
preached upon the subject: las means
of eliminating the disease called rabies,
the muzzling Of dogs is worthless expe-
dent. As a matter of public policy, from
the standpoint Of the Commissioners, the
muzzle order meets popular demand. and
as long as such demand exists the Board
is right in its action"
Or. Tindall explained that he does not
believe in the existence OF rabies as a
disease. He attributes the effects Of the
bite OF certain dogs to tetanus or LOCK-
Jaw. and believes that the wound in
hicted by the animals tooth has the same
effect as that from splinter or rusty nail.
He has no faith whatever i'm the so-called
virus of hydrophobia.
Robert Castelberg, of 935 Pennsylvania
Avenue northwest, said: Dogs should
not be muzzled any more than human
being. It is an outrage. Well-bred dogs
don't go mad and don't need a muzzIe
NANCY, diseased dogs don't need a ;nuzzle.
They need determination to proven, them
from going mad. / will not put a muzzle
on my dog, law or no law
Danger From Tramp Dogs.
". G. Lee, Ills Fourteenth Street north
west, said: II am utterly opposed to the
muzzling Of dogs and have been from the
time the order was first issued by the
Commissioners. 1t is not dogs that are
taken care Of that we need fear
as becoming rabid. but the tramps that
have no home. AS a rule a person who
wants dog as pet or for use will pay |
licence in compliance with the law. Such |
dogs are well treated and there is no |
danger of their becoming rabid provided |
they are not muzzled, which claim irri- !,
tates and excites them enough to become |
30. have watched this matter carefully. |
l am the owner of couple of collies, but |
they do not run at large and / have no |
fear about them. They are not muzzled, |
Of course. I tried II on them one day |
when the order was first issued. That
was enough for me. The muzzles fairly \
set them crazy and i believe they would
have gone mad had not released them
Warner Stutler, the Superintendent Of
Street Cleaning, believes firmly in the
Of dogs when running at large
Dogs bite. he said, in anger and In play
and in crowded cities where many dogs |
run at large children are not safe, whether
the dogs are rabid or not To his mind
the fact had been demonstrated that there
Is more or less rabies in the District. 1T
may be brought from the outside. but 1t |
Is here" he said. THE Health Officer is
the man to decide whether there Is rabies |
Or not He has the facilities for doing so |
and ! consider his opinion final in the |
matter. On general principles believe |
that dogs should be muzzled when running |
at large"
Conrad Becker. Of 1928 Street north
west. declared muzzling to be inhuman.
Dogs sweat through the mouth" he said, ,
and to prevent them from properly |
breathing by the use OF muzzle that !
would not permit them to bite, If so dis
posed. simply endangers their health.
had fine dog ruined by just that cause"
DR.. Irving c. Rose, neurologist, of ITO
Street northwest, replied to the question
Of reporter: Il have never seen a case
,f hydrophobia. nor have / had sufficient
evidence 10 convince me that there Is
such a thing. Ii is. at all events. SO sare
hat II can be considered a negligible
quantity. This opinion is concurrea in by
The leading neurologists in this country
IND in England. If anything proves the
lnpopuiaritY ard the nselessness of The |