New-York tribune., 1908-05-23
CITY FIGHTING RABIES
ROUSED By MARSH CASE.
Pasteur Institute OUerrun 1Cith Pos
sible Hydrophobia Victims.

ANY person who has been bitten by a mad
dog and does have the wound cauterized at
once fails to begin treatment within two weeks
has practically received death sentence said Dr.
Park yesterday in commenting on the urgent neeo
of controlling the dogs in this city and Throughout
the country. Dr. Park is the head of the Re
search Laboratory at 18th street and the East
River. where those afflicted with rabies may De
treated
The Marsh case has reused the city authorities to
the do something pitch. Early this year there
was cry from Richmond Borough for help ana
DR.. Darlington got 5000 for extraordinary work'
and of that s4.0 was expended there Doss
overran the island. Dr. Bensel said yesterday tnat
the situation here under thorough contoi-
In Manhattan the department is practically heip-
less Here the Society for the Prevention OF CfueIy
to Animals does the work
Dr. Parks department and the Pasteur Institute
have been overrun with persons VINO nave oeen
bitten bysdogs, horses and rats Tney were never
turned away. but were once subjected TO treat
ment In all cases where possible the animals are
kept under observation
DR. Park said that prompt treatment was prac-
ticallv sure preventive If the disease once es-
tabshes itself there Is at present no remedy
Last year" Dr. Park said, we treated oA-
cases of which 250 treated here the REMAINDER
being within a radius of 1.5O miles OF the CITY.
Those we heard of through doctors. and we Sent
the serum which effective in all instances
when given in time 1t should be remembered that
thorough cauterization effective. Cauterizauon
and treatment make assurance doubly sure anu
both should be the rule
In this city the deaths to persons bitten "eie
about ner cent and outside about two-ffths OF l
80 oo,+ In the last two years the disease has
been most prevalent. This Is due TO the Iaxly oA
the laws In Massachusetts. Connecticut DeiaN'7
and New Jersey II especially Vlruleilt' III 'i1
sachusetts alone over thousand dogs caves
and horses being killed after showing syHPtoiis o
abies To this place N3 dogs were sent for oo-
servaton and for analysis Some were oeao' Al
Massachusetts some of the cities passed Id" II
oufrins that dogs be muzzled. but all cities did
not cooperate, the law practically useless-
..Au cities and states should have uniform Ia"
TO control this grave menace. 1t should be borne
in mind that rabies is one of the most uislrea'ihs
and fatal diseases known
DR. Park said that of the cases cautsr1zed ABOUT
in fifty might get the disease; If not cau'er
ized rabies followed in case Of dog bite OUT
of ten. incubation with the serum. ne safo nlaue
a person not bitten immune for about year. II
acted like the anti-toxin used In vacclnauoh- IL
person was bitten in the face or on the arms OF
hand the incubation was about three weeks: II
bitten elsewhere, the time varied from one month
four, or longer.
The shock theory in Mr. Marsh's case was
dropped almost Immediately after the result of the
autopsy was made known. Dr. NJ. G. SChlapp. or
the Cornell Medical College, said that the only way
fear could kill by shock. Death in such IN
noes sudden
"Hysterfa can produce many of the symptoms
Of rabies" he added but patient will get
we'll whereas the course of rabies. once the synlp-
toms have appeared, Is swift and sure resulting
in certain death Hydrophabia is a definite disease
No expert who has seen the disease could
mistake it. He would be deceived by the
hysterical imitation
DR. Van Giesen is treating himself for the slight
puncture on the wrist received at the autopsy. he
has not the least apprehension. Miss Edna Thomp-
SON Mr. Marsh's stenographer who. it was said
had touched the is taking the treatn1ent at the
PasteIr Institute. is also Ramsey Marsh, son
of the victim of the dog II was said by Dr.
Wheeler of the institute. that Miss Thompson was
not in the least danger of rabies.
At the meeting of the Board Of Heaitn on
Wednesday the dog question will receive close at
tention and it is believed that effort will be
made TO accelerate the enforcement of the ordi-
nance in this borough which requires that no dogs
shall be at large excepting leash
Physicians in this city will soon receive from the
Department of Health information regarding It's
clinic for persons bitten by dogs or other animals
At the same time the Importance of immediate
cauterization will he shown. The city does not
charge for treatment of persons living in the city
Outside cases are treated for s25. Chicago Mime
apols and Washington are the only cities that have
free hydrophobia clinics In Baltimore there is
Pasteur institute.
Cases have been treated here for the last ten
wears AS the Department of Health supplies anti
toxin of various kinds doctors throughout the
country it could refuse to send the rabies
serum when the demand became insistent. The
charge was made 10 cover part OF the immediate
expense of shipping the serum