West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-07-25

The annual bySter1a known as
''the mad dog scare" Is on again.
and dog fanciers are worried. The
popular impression exists that In
August dogs are prone to get mad,
and consequently the CANNES are
having hard time. They say dogs
are as safe In August as in Deem
Der, and because dog Is merely
suffering from the heat Is no reason
why he should be shot.
Mr.. J. c. Williams, leading dog
fancier, Is aiding to diSabuse the
public mind of the mad dog tallscy.
To support his contention he sub
mi,s the following statements by
John P. Flames, president of the
American society for the Proven.
ton of Cruelty 10 Animals
What are the dog days1" They
are the heated term In July and
August, during which dogs are sup
posed to be peculiar liable TO rabies,
or canine madness" That Is one
answer but there Is a better. There
are no dog days, because there Is
no time OF the year when dogs are
especially liable to rabies. There
are no more cases of rabies In July
and August than In December and
January. Moreover, rabies Is
one of the rarest of canine
diseases When you hear a
cry of Mad dogP In the
street. the chances are many thou
sand 70 one that the dog Is not
mad. When you read In the news
papers that some one has been BIT
ten by mad dog, the chances are
thousands to one that 1t is not true.
If q human being Is bitten by q mad
dog. Is he not doomed to die q fear
full death by hydrophobia? Not at
all; for hydrophObia In human be
ling Is much more rare than rabies
In dog. Expert physicians who
have given special attention to the
subject are convinced that hydro
phobia Is never caused by the bite
of a dog and that 1t Is simply a
hysterica1 nervous disease caused
by unfouuded dread. Don't take
that for granted; but remember
these tacts:e First, that there are
more than million chances to one
that any dog which Is supposed to
be mad Is not mad at all; secoad,
that In all probability any dog by
which person may happen to be
bitten Is not mad; and third, that
even If a person is bitch by a dog
that really Is mad, the danger of
hydrophobia Is very slight, indeed.
If you will note the following acts
you will probably fno them to be
quite different from the popular
fancies by which most persons are
mislead. 1t is supposed that mad
dog breads water. It Is not so.
The mad dog Is very likely TO
plunge his head to the eyes In wa.
ter, though he cannot swallow It,
and laps 1t with difficulty. 1t Is
supposed that a mad dog runs
about with evidence of intense ex-
element. Ii Is not so. The mad
dog never runs about In agitation,
he never gallops;he is always alone;
usually In a strange place, where
he joys along slowly. II he is ap-
preached by dog or man he shows
no sign of excitement, but when
the dog or man Is near enough. he
snaps and resumes his ,litary trot.
If dog barks, yelps, whines or
growls. that dog Is not mad. The
only sound a mad dog Is ever
known to emit Is hoarse howl, and
that bat seldom. Even blows will
not ex.ort an outcry from a mad
dog. Therefore. If any mad dog
under any circumstances, utters
any other sound than that of .
hoarse howl, that dog s not mad:
It Is supposed that the mad dog
froths at the mouth. 1t Is not so.
I