Evening star., 1909-08-22
FIGHTING THE RABIES
Progress of the Campaign in
This City.
SITUATION Is UNCHANGED
Just as Many Dogs Killed, But Not
Captured.
DROP IN CASES THIS MONTH
Number of Persons Under Observ-
ance Jumped in Spring, But
Rapidly Fell Off.
SITUATION IS UNCHANGED
)ROP IN CASES THIS MONTH

During the unusual spread of rabies
through the District in the past two
years three departments of the govern
ment have had large amount of extra
work thrown them. The situation
at the present moment is in about the
same state it was when the crusade
against ownerless dogs was commenced
in real earnest. The three departments
most directly interested are the dog
pound. the bureau of animal industry
ip the Department of Agriculture and
the special Pasteur laboratory, which
has been established under the marine
hospital service. in its new building at
the foot of 18th street
Taking the records OF year ago, when
the ant-dog crusade was at its height,
to the present. when the pound force
has been reduced and the muzzle law
relaxed, it is seen that there is but little
change in the status of the disease. In
July year age there We're eleven cases
of possible rabies under treatment at
the marine hospital laboratory. Dur
ing the past month there We're twelve,
and the number has tiuctiiated almost
regularly with the season during the
intervening time.
The dogs captured by the District
poundkeeper have rapidly diminished. al
though there are almost as many killed
now as heretofore though not SO many
are captured. In July of 1905 there were
1,o57 dogs captured. and of these 460
were killed. During that month there
We're eleven cases under treatment at the
hospital for protection against rabies.
In the following month of August there
were twenty cases under treatment but
twelve of these came from Panama
where there had been a similar outbreak,
the patients being sent to Washington
for treatment. There We're loss dogs
captured in August of last year, and
of these Sai were killed. The next month
there were only s37 captured and tis,
killed. but the cases under treatment
had increased IL.
During the remainder of the year the
cases under treatment "a. the Marine
Hospital laboratory gradually dwind,ed
down from nine in November to six the
following March. The number of dogs
captured also decreased TO about 30 per
month At this time .he blizzard inter
yened and three of .he extra wagons
which were in use at the pound were taken
off duty and the money paid for them
was spent in the repair of telephone and
telegraph lines. The change did not have
much apparent effect on the number OF
dogs captured. being from 3DO to iO1 IA
month, nearly all OF which We're killed
Apparently the surplus of dogs captured
was among the more arlStocratic class of
animals, whose owners were willing to re-
deem them at the prlce oI Inc me I'M
posed by the District.
Gradual Increase.
Meantime from March, 1909. TO the
present time, there has been a gradual in
crease in the number of cases OF sus-
pecter rabies under treatment. at the
laboratory. In March there were but six.
in April there were eleven, In May thir-
teen, in June fourteen, with slight drop
to twelve during July.
During the present month there has
been a most remarkable droo in cases
under treatment. there now being but one
on the books of the institution. This
scenes rather a pity. too. as the labor
tory has Just installed new operating
room for handlin. the rabies cases, a
place of absolutely surgical cleanliness.
and one in which i: would appear
almost a privilege to be treated
The town has endeavored at all times to
induce people who were bitten by dogs TO
save the animal for observation. 1t is
explained shat it is much more satisfac
tory TO keep "A suspected dog under OBJ
servation and find out whether he really