The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-08-01

Washington. Aug. 1.-(United
Press) Tabbv. purring
upon the hearth. petted and pamp-
cred by the whole family Is now de-
clared by a government scientist to
be agent OF the most deadly germs.
spreading disease aud death among
those who fondle her.
Investigation has proven that In
cats sleek soft fur, upon which the
baby delights TO rub Its cheek, Turk
the germs OF tuberculosis. OF small
pox and that deadly disease OF babies
and children, diptheria.
The cat Is a roaming animal Even
the most carefully watched house
pet will stink out at night and Il Is
then that they come in contact with
infected dirty cats which live per-
haps in squallid shanties among dis
ease-stricken people. Its long fur
affords natural breeding place for
the germs.
1.-THE cat returns to It's home thor
oughly innoculated The mother
smiles as the baby tumbles about on
the floor with Tabby. When the
child is stricken every disease breed
ing source Is considered except the
family cat" says DIR. A. X. Fisher.
IL Is noted fact that people who
would not touch a dog think moth ng
of fondling and kissing cats. Fel!nes
are particularly fond of jumping
on beds Of their masters and cud-
ding close TO them. Babies are al
lowed to play freely with cast.
Practically the only thing TO be
feared from a dog is hydrophobia.
TO this terrible disease. says DR.
Fisher. cats are as susceptible as
dogs though they do not bite people
as often, yet cases OF hydrophobia
from cat bites are not infrequent
The biological survey is now
working on plans 10 have laws
passed in the District OF Columbia as
a guidance for all the states to
license cast. because. they say. most
of the trouble comes from stray cats.
The danger in the house cat, living
In clean home comes mainly
through its contact with alley eats
Licensing would permit the killing
OF stray cats.
Data is now being gathered by the
Survey upon the subject OF disease
infection by cats. DR.. Fisher hopes
soon TO publish bulletin citing spe-
ciic instances.
Two cases are given by a proml-
nent French scientists. NJ. Bergeon,
of cats which were infected with
tubercular germs through contact
with persons afflicted with the dis
ease. In both instances the cats we're
owned In families where young girls
died from the malady. The death Of
the cats occurred shortly afterward.
The doctors had noticed the fond
ness OF the girls for the cats. A post
norton examination of the cats was
accordingly made with the results
that In bo.h instances unmlstakable
traces OF tubercular infection were
found.
The next charge brought against
the cat by DR.. Fisher. is that II |
spreads ringworms, a very painful
and sometimes dangerous disease.
Rats and mice are peculiarly suscep-
tible to this disease. and Il is in
transmitted from them 10 cats. The
presence of the disease on cats hid
den by their fur Is not uncommon.
II was through the frequent appear
ance OF ringworms on rands OF
babies that the germ theory was first
pursued against the cat.
Cats are considered the natural
enemies Of rats and mice. They are
Kept often simply to kill these pets.
DIR. Fisher claims that not five per-
cent OF the cats are nousers and that
instead they kill game and song
birds.
AS matter of fact" said DR..
r1sher, eats prefer birds to mice.
ihey VIII spend twice as much time
hunting birds as mice. II one keeps
count OF a cats quarry during the
year he will find that the birds killed
Tar outnumber the mice.
Recently there has been much
attention paid to rats and the harm
ihey DO both as destroyers and as
'preaders of disease. In this con
nection II has been pointed out what
/ valuable animal the cat Ia 10 keep
foWn the rats. That L. a., areor