The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-13
LOOK TO The PETS
All Dogs Must Be MuZzled for
so Days.
Four Dog Catchers to ScOur the
City.
END OF A CRUSADE.
Danger of Rabies the Excuse
for Drastic Action.
Board of Health Recommends
the Ordinance.

Will start out this week plchlHS up oil
the stray dogs, unmuzzled dogs and all
dogs running at large whether they
have a dog tax tag or not. If not
rescued by their owners these dogs VIII
be killed. This is in compliance with
an ordinance passed bv the courcii
Saturday night providing that dogs
must be either kept confined or muz-
zled for a period Of 80 days to avoid
danger from rabies. Two weeks ago
dog shipped from Memphis was rccelV-
ed in Topeka and later given into the
care of E P. Scott of 1908 Arch street.
The dog had previously been bitten IN
Memphis by dog which died from the
rabies but the bitten dog showed no
evidences of infection after having been
restrained in a sanitarium for a num-
Der of weeks. Two weeks ago the dog
snapped at E. P. Scott and bit him,
later as l.. Smith, living next door at
1907 Arch street, was passing. the Dog
bit three fingers of Smith who was IN
the act of stroking the dogs head.
Both men were hurried to the Pas
tuer institute at Chicago last week I0I-
lowing IN examination conducted py
DR.. L. NJ. Powell and DIR. Sarah GREEN
field, state basteriologist, which show
ed conclusively that the dogs death
which soon ensued was due to raDles
Before his death, however from 1our
Infected dog Il is believed most OF
these dogs have since been killed but
as a precautiou and upon the ADVICE OF
the city board of health the ordinance
referred to in the above was passed oy
the council.
A few members of the Topeka Kennel
club were on hand, several representa-
tives of the Humane society and a
number of physicians. DR.. &. r. van
Horn, president of the board of health,
advised the council to follow the rec
concentrations of the board or heaIth.
He stated that the muzzling OF dog,
however. was not a surety that RABIES
would not be communicated-saliv
might communicate itself from one oog
to another and produce results as serl-
Gus as a bite. DR.. NJ. r. Mitchell, city
physician, urged the passage OF the Or
dinance. The board of health con-
cIuded it was the thing to do" SAID
he. THAT it was necessary the nVes
of one of our citizens is more Valu-
able than all the dogs. 1t seems to
me that this is a serious question
Maybe the recommendation is too dras-
tic but it was felt by the board that
something of the kind should be done
his dog for fear that he might have
been infected, protested against the
action proposed in the ordinance. He
had a book which he quoted as being
authority for the statement that other
things were often mistaken for rabies
and that there was considerable I'M
necessary alarm.
In reply to a question Dr. Mitchell
stated in a majority OF cases tn ne
rabies ran from two to three weeks
but it might be prolonged to as long
as six months.
a great many people are worried and
afraid their children will be bitten
But / don't think that anybody can
point out a dog that has been bit
that anybody that killed his dog knew
it was bitten. The dogs were simply
in and around and playing with the
dog"
killing the dog. He was in favor of
picking up all the stray dogs, FEEDING
and watering them and combining
them under the care of the city. He
said that the city would make enough
from the revenue of selling dogs TO
people who desired to buy a pet to pay
for all the extra expense. "A great
many dogs are called mad that are
not mad" said he.
Councilman Hughes took shot at
the proposed ordinance and when in
answer to questions DR.. Van Horn and
Dr. Mitchell confessed that they had
never personally seen a case or hydro-
phobia said: "I am not an alarmist.
I am awuflly afraid that the board OF
health has gat afraid of something
that they have heard all these years
Councilman Howe opposed the Or
dinance as being too drastic The
result will be that a great many peo-
pie will be deprived of their pets. They
will be killed, for it is impossible to
keep people from stealing the dog
tax tags off from the dogs and If they |
get loose, picked up and no way by |
which to identify to whom the dog
valuable dogs will be killed. ;"
Mr.. Howe moved to refer the ord1n- |
ance to the committee on health and |
sanitation for investigation and rec |
1mmendation. The motion lost by a |
vote of 8 to 8. Ayes-Councilmen /
Horn, Howard, Blakely, Holiday, |
Jordan. Montgomery. Stanley and |
Kutz Noes-Councilmen Hughes, |
Howe and Lannan.
On the final vote on the ordinance |
he same vote prevailed.
The ordinance provides that all
logs must not be allowed to run at
nuzzle, if unmuzzled must be kept
confined If a dog is found running
at large without a muZzle he is TO be
picked up and kept in the pound Tor
"A hours. If the dog has a tax tag
he CITY clerk is to notify the owner of
he dog to present himself, paw a fee
IF SO cents for impounding and agree
% either cOnf1ne said dog or muzzle.
# not called for within the "a hours
he dog is to be killed. All muzzled
logs running at large without a dog
ak tag are to be picked up and con-
ined for % hours and if nobody
comes to pay the registration fee and
cost of impounding the dog is to be
killed. The penalty for a violation is
liked at from SIS to $50.
I,eayenvortI1's Heavy Death Rate.
Leavenworth, Kan, May 13.-Un-
Iertakers report that although less
han half of tho month of Nav has