Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-04
MAD DOC VARNINc
Comnhslsl9 AvaiIl IsIk f to Re-
 spsashllt d to Tevna.

AA. VI 0vOSAA ID oSuuAu8 SO tOWA VAN- cials throughout the state the follow ing letter of warning as to rabies:
 Hartford. Conn. Sept 2s, 1906.
 Rabies.
 By the newsp aper learn that 2 man in this state has lately died of rabies: that several other persons have been bitten presumably by rabid dogs and that in several towns in the state rabid dogs have recently been at large and have been known to have bitten certain other dogs anl have had ample opportunity to bite still other dogs that are not known.
 As the commissioner on domestic animals has authority to quaran- tine only such domestic animals as show evidence of contagious disease by a physical examination, 1t Is evil dent that have no power to issue any order looking towards prevent ing the further spread of this con- tagious disease. l am informed by pr Townsend. secretary of the state board of health, that they also have no authority in the premises.
 The law makes the several towns liable for damage done by dogs. within their respective town limits, and the law gives the towns the power to make regula- tions and rules concerning dogs. The same power Is also given to a majority of the justices of the peace in every town and penalty Is pro vided for every violation of any rule when thus made. (Eee Sections 4,4S3, 4,486 of General Statutes.)
 Realizing the prevalence of rabies in different sections of the etate and the seeming indifference of the pub lie to It's further spread, feel justi- fled in calling attention to the seri- ousness of the malady and recom- mending that local authorities, in at least all those towns where rabies is known to exist, take prompt action to prevent its further spread by pro- mitigating such rules as will result in the immediate destruction of all dogs known to have been bitten by 2 suspicious dog and the secure mus- zling or close confinement of all dogs in their respective jurisdictions.
 It is better to be safe than sorry" It is also better to muzzle many dogs than to be morally responsible for the horrible death of one human be- ing or the loss of many valuable farm animals, as will almost surely result if heroic measures are not immedi- ately taken.
 Rabies is now recognized, by scien- tific authorities, as contagious dis ease. The old fallacy that rabies commonly called hydrophobia when 1t appears in the human being-is q nervous disease resulting from fear, anxiety, and worry of the patient. after having been bitten oy a dog, has in general been dissipated from the public mind,
 While the disease appears much mora frequently in the canine race than In any other, 1t Is nevertheless '& regrettable fact that 1t Is readily communicable to the human race and to all our domestic animals.
 The more or less common belief that rabies prevail only in dog days. or during warm weather, Is not war ranted by facts. Statistics of several countries for term of years con- clusively prove that the disease is not affected by seasons or by hot or cold weather.
 The period of incubation may vary in different cases in the same species from three weeks to three months and occasionally even longer. This shows the importance of prompt ac- tion and also the necessity of con- tinued vigilance and quarantine for a period of several months after the apparent disappearance of the dis ease.
 No disease Is regarded with great CT dread or horror, because cf the in- tense mental and physical distress and agony of the sufferer and be- cause when the disease has devel- oped 1t has uniformly been found to terminate fatally.
 The poisonous germ of rabies is found in the saliva. When a man is bitten by a rabid dog the chances are said to be about three to one that he will not be inoculated. This is probably due to the fact that the sal- iva in most cases is entirely removed from the teeth of the canine by the clothing of the person bitten.
 The utmost care should always be exercised in dealing with suspicious cases of rabies not only to avoid be- ing bitten. but also to prevent any saliva from coming into contact with the naked flesh. for if the saliva gets into the circulatory system by means of a small scratch or fresh cut, the results will be the same as If intro duced by the dogs teeth.
 If any psrson shall be bitten by q suspicious dog it Is recommended that the dog be killed at once, if possible. and It's head removed and before de- composition commences. be sent to the Pasteur institute tWest Twenty third street. New York city) for bac- teriological examination to positive ly determine if the animal was rabid and If the diagnosis is positive the person bitten should at once take the Pasteur treatment. which is prscti- caily sure to prevent the development of the disease.
 H. O. AvERTLL.
 Commissioner of Domestic Animals.
 Sec. l.4ss. Rules Concerning Dogs.
 A majority of the justices of the peace in any town may. ct any time. make such rules for cunflnIng or de-