Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-04
MUZZLE THE DOGS.
Danger From NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Of Rabies in Canine Pets.


From the New York Herald.
In view of the unusual recent activity OF
rabid dogs in this city and the death of
physicians son from a well-authenticated
case of hydrophobia. great interest was
manifested in a paper on Rabies which
was read yesterday by H. D. Gill, VS., be-
fore the Alumni Association of the Bellevue
Medical College. DR.. Gill said: city veter-
inarians who doctor dogs see many cases
of rabies. During the year of 1902 twenty
cases came under my observation, and four
since last December. On two occasions L
noticed small boys leading rabid dogs
through the street. believe if an accurate
record of rabid dogs in the borough of
Manhattan could be had the result would
be startling.
THE dumb form of rabies is very COM
mon. and many cases are brought to the
veterinary hospitals with the owners sug
gestion that the dog has a bone in his
throat and in many instances we are un-
able to convince the owner of our diagno-
sis; he generally understands that a mad
dog must froth from the mouth, be afraid
of water and raging mad. 1t Is dangerous
error to suppose that the disease begins
with such signs. Rabid dogs are not afraid
Of water; to the contrary, they lap and
plunge their heads into it; some will even
swim rivers. The symptoms appear very
gradually and the only change noticea BILE
Is In the animals habits. Rabies is rela-
lively more common in New York because
dogs are very numerous, and If suitable
regulations are not adopted and enforced
the disease will surely increase and the
health of the people be unnecessarily
jeopardized. - -
1.-The measures necessary for the eradica-
ton of rabies are two: First, destruction of
worthless. ownerless and vagrant dogs;
second, efficient muZZling of all dogs which
appear upon the streets or in public places.
In Berlin, from 1915 to 1853 there came to
the veterinary school a yearly average of
thirty-five cases; from March. 1852 to 1853
there were efghty-two cases, and from
March, 1853, to the end of July there were
thirty-seven more. On July 20 muzzling
was generally enforced, with the result
that only six cases were reported during
the remainder of the year. Only four cases
were observed in the whole city during
1854, and only a single case in 1855. For
the seven years following there was not a
single case recorded. %
Fleming states that in Vienna rabies
was entirely suppressed by eighteen months
of stringent muzZlng,ob but in 1886 the muz-
zling order was rescfnded and badges had
to be worn on dog collars instead in the
following half year there was only one
case of the disease but in the next half
year rabies became epidemic, and the muZ-
zle had again to be worn, with the result
that the malady soon subsidized and disap-
peared."
These are some of Dr. Gfll's suggestions
for the detection Of rabies in dogs:
Beware of a dog when it becomes dull
and hides away: appears restless; always
on the move and prowling; whose eounte-
nance Is somber and sullen; walks with
head down like a bear
Beware of one who barks at nothing
when all around is still.
Beware Of dog that scrapes necessarily
and tears up things. Look out for the dog
which has become too fond of you, and Is
continually trying to lick your hand and
face
Beware above all of the dog which has
difficulty in swallowing, which appears to
have bone in its throat, and one that has
wandered from home and returns covered
with dirt, exhausted and miserable"