The sun., 1903-04-18
ALDERMEN TOLD ABOUT DOGS.
THEY ALSO HEAR THAT HYDRO
PHOBIA rs A MYTH.

Dogs should Not He Muzzled. Because II
Ruins Their Dispositions-And Man.
haitian, n Not for Dogs, Isn't for Chill
dren - Health Board for Muzzles.
The dog and his muzzle were discussed
In every phase at a public hearing given
by the Law and Legislation Committee
OF the Board Of Aldermen yesterday after
noon. The one missing factor was the
dog owning soubrette. The speakers were
mostly men and women past middle age.
and physicians.
The proposed amendment to the ordi-
nance allows dogs to run at large when
muzzed. The present ordinance requires
that no dog shall be abroad except in leash.
and that ordinance is little needed. Mrs.
Mary Jennings OF 1877 East Hath street.
told the committee that muzzles ruined
the dispositions Of dogs. Some people.
she said. argued that Manhattan the
ordinance applies only to Manhattan) was
no place for dogs. Well. II was no place
for children. either.
yet some very good children have been
born here and have grown up here said
Alderman Armitage Matthews, who was
presiding
And some very good dogs, too said
Mrs. Sarah F. Norton Of II Charles street,
said that in her block there were half a
dozen dogs and every time they were out
on leashes Mt least dozen boys had hold
OF the other end Of the leader. I'D rather
have my dog muzzled than have him on
a leader with gang OF boys choking him.
said she.
Mrs. Jennings here volunteered the in
formation that she had three sick cats
at home which she had picked up on the
street. Peter Ceder, a dog dealer, said
there had been only one case Of rabies in
New York. He said that men and boys
stole dogs and tried to sell them in the
& ans ~ sRsn sey SuSsg &C. %Soss osss
were the cause OF the scare. Mr.. Ceder
complained he had paid an assessment to
the campaign committee which elected the
present reform administration and 1t had
done nothing to shut out the competition
of dog thieves.
DR.. r. T. Harrison OF 81 Cherry street
said that if the city was to turn stray dogs
over TO the police It ought to muzzle the
police first.
sThis morning down in Wall Street
into little dog three months old, who was
teethinR," said DR.. Harrison. Il have
been bitten more than 900 times by dogs,
and I haven't had hydrophobia. AT the
Boston Dog Show l Was wa bit bitten % thirty,two two
dogs couldn't be broken to the muzzle.
Dr.. X. w. Wilcox said he'd been trying
for twenty five years TO find a case Of hy-
drophobia. He didn't believe In it's ex-
istence. Let hydrophobia 60 with the
other superstitions Of the dark ages said
he.
DR.. Alexander Lambert took issue with
him on the existence Of hydrophobia. DR..
II. d. Gill of the State Department Of Agri-
culture said the department favored this
ordinance as the only way to stamp out
rabies.
Mrs. Jennings was heard again. She
thought the hysteria about rabies was
worked up by doctors who wanted busi-
ness. Others spoke on both sides Of the
question and the committee reserved its
decision. 1t is believed that II will report
in favor Of the ordinance.
The Board Of Health at its meeting yes
terday passed a resolution indoreing the
ordinance. Health Commissioner Lederle.
Health Off1cer Doty and Deputy Police
Commissioner Piper were present.