The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-24
The E1ydrophobia Scare

4 The Hydro,
IN BY FREDERIC y. HAskIN.
With July Will come the dog days"
when the dog star Sirius rules the
heavens for forty days, and, according
| to world old belief dogs with rabies
will run Wild in the land. This super
stition, with many others dear to the
Ihenrt OF many long since. has been
exp1oded by science. for Sirius has no
more to do with hydrophobia than has
of the sidereal world. The American
Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty
TO Animals. in making. q case for the
homeless dogs the pariahs Of the ami,
greater numbers in the surlmerA-de-
Clares that there Is no greater prcya-
lence Of rabies In summer than In win
ton is absolutely necessary in guard
| ing against the spread OF this most
terrIble-of all diseases. q precaution
that must be practiced assiduously
pie learn that the disease can be ef-
| fectually stamped out in one way--by
nuzzl!ns dogs for several years.
| Whenever the suggestion is made
| that effect. o storm OF protest goes up
from dog owners and dog lovers -, over e
meet this; Is Il not better that mem
! bers OF the dog family be given this
slight discomfort in the few hours they
Of e e c ffds ' a. gf sys thsss
die In tho most horrible commissions
known in the annals OF human suf-
ferlng? Tao majority OF European
rabies by ,egisla,ing in an Intelligent
killing Of suspected dogs and the mlz-
cling OF those that appear on the
ISIS, and SINCE 1855 no no case has been
known In Berlin, and the rest Of the
country is row free from i: HOLLAND
has had no cases since 1879. except
Great Britain has had the same sem
timental kind OF folk to contend witt
in the enforcement OF muzzling ordi-
nances as certain American sections
muzzled IN 1889. and within three
ed. Then the determined opposition
OF Misguided sentimentaists preyssea.
spread in the next three years IN an
alarming fashion. Their n1uzzlss again
became the fashion. and since 1898
Great Britain has been free from dis
liza, does not know the meaning OF
rabies among human beings 50 much
for Intelligent handling Of situation.
States government. through Its Bureau
OF Animal Industry OF the Department.
Of Agriculture, hopes to some day Ut
Certain districts in this country have
always been absolutely free from the
infection. end others have been known
to have cases for years s. The largest largest
made under the direction Of the Amer
lean Kennel Club. lies about fifty miles
south and west OF Philadelphia. Rabies
1910. and in twenty yearsit spread out
to such, nm extent that 200 cases we're
reported. half OF these being conhned
to six special places. A report before
ISOLATION last year showed that hardly
a county in Pennsylvania was then free
from rabies. and-1ast summer u was
necessary IN Chester county to destroy
horses. an expensive affair. to say
nothing OF the danger.
When the American Kennel Club
made It's Investigation ten years a aya
unknown in tle New England States
north OF Massachusetts and Rhode
Island, with occasional Isolated cases
in Massachusetts and Connecticut. and
very rare caioes In New York and New
Jersey: that Pennsylvania was badly
Infected only in cer,ain districts. not
ably about Philadelphia: that there
Southern States or in the majority OF
the states east OF the mississippi: that
in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota. Ne
braska, Colorado, oklahoma and Kan;
told, ana that the disease was entirely
unknown west OF the Rockies.
Whether this report was Inaccurate
the scientist Of more recent investiga-
tons Yet the latest report from the
Department. OF Agriculture says. conclu-
warrant the statement that not sim
gle State is free from the disease
Specific instances of the spread OF ra-
bies are cited, as In 1908 severe out
dogs We're destroyed and several per,
sons hurried to the Pasteur Hospital
for treatment; IN 1865 an o4tbreak IN
Jacksonville, Fla. %he men l.s3o ACES naE
sons bitten. three died Of hydrophobia
in Indiana the State Veterinarian, re-
ports more trouble from rabies than
folk, Va, has had the disease among
its dogs and cattle. and among a few
people, for flye years. and Charleston,
w. va, recently reported an outbreak.i
that the eyes Of all the. nation are
turned that way in search Of II good
example, has during the present year
waged persistent warfare on the pas
riah dogs. the "Great unwashed"3 OF the
dog world. The law requires th n. ! IL =,
OF dogdom goes about with tags on
Ito collars, and often with leashes
safely held in the hands Of careful
owners but from Virginia and MARI
land wallis and straya, members OF the
tramp kingdom, smell 81, from n af ,trbs the
ana stray into washington, to become
the legal prey Of tho vigilant dog
catcher. The dog-catchers has. been
over worked so far, and since January
Soth ovor $3.50 Of these tramp dogs
have been put to death. OF these
aighty-six were found to have rabies,
sent to the Bureau OF Animal Industry
for laboratory examination. Because
the epidemic has Increased and human
life Been greatly endangered, the a,,-
thorities are ordering the r1uzzlinE Of
all licensed dogs and the immediate
so al nn1ironS66 TIL a