The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01
GREAT VALUE OF
 NEW DEPARTMENT State Treats Patients With Rabies Free of Charge THE VIOLATION OF LAWS Alabama Loses Three of Its Prominent Men In One Week-E. M. Robin
 son, J. M. Carmichael and
 Shirley Bragg.
THE VIOLATION OF LAWS
By HERVEY w. LAIRD.

Montgomery, October 31.-(Special. 1.-The great value to the state of the health de- pertinent is illustrated by it's ability to cannot afford to take treatment in other parts of the country for diseases and mal- adies that require scientific attention out of the ordinary.
 With less than a month in active ser vice, the Pasteur department has for treatment almost a dozen patients, and in practically every case the afflicted ones would not have been able to secure such attention if forced to pay for it.
 It is now possible for Alabama to render free the very latest methods of treating rabies and thus give to the poor peo- pie a means of escape from the horrible death that attends the final development of this disease.
 The fact that so many patients have applied for treatment in so short time is taken to mean that all these years a great many have been bitten who either died as a result of the poison or else took the chance and escaped by some for tunate protection of the system.
 When it is remembered that 10 or 12 people apply for free treatment within so short a time it is reasonable to suppose that in the years past scores were vic tims who might have been saved.
 Dr. E. M. Mason, who is conducting the treatment, has thoroughly posted him. self in all of the latest discoveries, and has in his laboratory the means of pro- viding the serum and conducting the eX- periments that are a part of the equip ment of the most up-to-date establish ments in the largest cities.
 Violation of Laws.
 The implied threat of Governor Conner to see that the prohibition laws are en- forced after January 1, even to the extent of sending the military where they are , disregarded is taken to mean that a se- rous situation is possible in at least one town of the state. It is an open secret that the people of Mobile have practically said that they have no sympathy with the prohibition laws. and d great many Mobile citizens have not hesitated to eX-
 press the belief that there will be no de- termined effort to enforce them. If this proves to be so, and the governor carries out his evident intention to under take to enforce them anyway, it will bring about a comph astlon that has not
 prevailed in the state for a good many years.
 The situation is likely to inyo.ye tho two principles of local and state gov ernment Mobile auth critics have said that the juries would not convict for certain Violati tions, and that 1t was impossible to secure punishment for offenses that were not regarded as offenses by the larger majority of the people.
 For instance. it has been said that no
 jury can be secured in Mobile county that will give verdict for the violation of the Sunday baseball law. Some go so far as to say that the same condition prevails with regard to the general pro- hibition law, and it is also interesting to note that intimation has been made that if Montgomery does not show an ap- precative conception of the anti-liquor statutes that it may be disciplined in the same way prospective for the gulf city. However, Montgomery officers contend that the law will be enforced at this place.
 State Loses Heavily. The week has been peculiarly disastrous to the state of Alabama in the loss of useful citizens. The suicide of Edward M. Robinson of Mobile was followed on Mon day by the sudden death of Judge J. M. Carmichael of Ozark, and on Thursday by the tragic suicide of Dr. Shirley Bragg
 of Montgomery. The fact that Judge Carmichael and Dr. Bragg, who were long associated with each other on the state convict board. passed away at so nearly the same time adds a sad inter est to the situation. Perhaps no two men in the history of Alabama have ren- dered it more valuable service than these who were public servants in depart inent at the time when changes of great importance took place.
 With the advent of the administration