Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-27

If plan for muzzling dogs for the Pc
Rod of one year, suggested by DR.. j.
Edgar Paullin, in charge of the Pasteur
department of the state board of health,
in a paper read before the Georgia Med
ica1 association at Macon on Friday, is
carried out by legislative enactment dur
ing the coming session of the general as
sembly, it is believed that rabies and n.y.
drophobia can be practically stamped out
in the state of Georgia in a short time.
DR.. Paullin's address was received with
great enthusiasm by the members of the
association, and a resolution of DR.. Eu-
gene Smith, of Atlanta, to authorize the
committe Of the association on public
policy and legislation to support and
strongly urge the passage of a law at the
next session Of the legislature for the
muzzling of all dogs was passed by unan-
imous vote.
The alarming increase of rabies in the
state during the past year makes neces-
sary some such legislative enactment as
that suggested by DR.. Pauilin in his adj
dress at Macon. According to DR.. Paul
lin, more than 500 cases of rabies COM
municated to persons by the bites of
rabid dogs were treated by him in the
Pasteur department of the state board
of health during 1908. This number does
not include those (for 1t is sad to relate
that there are such), who ignorantly rely
on the supposed power of mad-stones and
die in the vain search for relief from
such methods.
So thoroughly did the paper read by
Dr. Paullin voice the sentiment of the
association that a vote of thanks was
passed by the organization, with the re-
quest that the address be published IN
such form that 1t may be disseminated
broadcast to every nook and corner Of the
state.
Rabies Rapidly Increasing
That rabies is rapidly on the increase
throughout the state of Georgia and
throughout the entire nation cannot be
doubted This appears to be conclusive
ly proved by a recent report of the Unit.
ed States Public Health and Marine Hos
pital service on the subject of hydropho-
bia. During the past year DIR. Paullin
has examined the heads Of between 500
and 600 dogs, fully 60 per cent of which
showed unmistakable signs of rabies.
The muzzling of all the dogs in the
state for one year, II is claimed, will
practically wipe out rabies in the state.
In this particular 1t is suggested that
each city sell a muzzle to the owner of
every dog instead of charging a dog tax
and in this way as much revenue can be
raised as by the tax system and much
more good can be accomplished.
1t is claimed further that ladies who
cwn pets, and members of the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty tC AMI
mails, need not rise up in righteous in
dignation at the suggestion of muzzling
dogs, as muzzles have been devised by
the use Of which dogs can eat and
drink without inconvenience. put at the
same time can not bite any ona.
During one year all the cases or
rabies in the state would be developed
and exterminated by this method, it is
claimed, If a vigorously enforced law IS
back of the movement and evc-y dog is
muzzled.
Declare State Quarantine
AS Georgia has South Carolina, Ten
nessee, Alabama and Florida as neigh
boring and adjacent states, rabies
would undoubtedly be introduced into