Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-03
Nearly 200 Treated at Hygienic
Laboratory in Two Years.
ALL BITTEN BY MAD DOGS
Government Physician Facts War
rant Proposed Plan of the District
Commissioners to Protect Public.

'''''Su toudS lilt p1dn lOT Tie IluZZllHS
of all dogs in the District for year.
which. it is expected, the Commission
ers will put into effect tomorrow
Those of us who have made a study
of rabies said he, ''and who have
watched it's progress in the District.
realize that the protection of the pub
lie demands eternal vigilance on the
part of the authorities / have long
felt that all dogs should be muzzled
throughout the year. and do not hest
tate to say that the proposed order
requiring that this be done has the
hearty support of this arm of the gov
ernment service
"As j pointed out to DR.. Woodward,
we are now treating the largest number
of persons that ever treated at any
one time-twenty-four. Since this work
was commenced in the District in April
1908, we have treated 1872 persons who
had been bitten by mad dogs. 1t must be
understood that We do not treat any per-
sons here except the fact is established
that the dogs which bit them had rabies.
A meteorological examination OF the head
of the animal must establish this fact
before we will consent to administer the
Pasteur treatment.
Records Are Authentic.
Therefore our records prove that 1872
persons in the District have actually
been bitten by mad dogs i'm a little more
than two years. That is pretty high
figure and is the best argument that
know of in favor OF the plan which the
Commissioners are about to put into
force. There is no speculation about this.
We actually know whereof we speak.
Stray dogs can come into Washington
from large centers Of population on all
sides and it Is absolutely essential that
the public should be protected against
them
While the doctor was speaking bright
eyed haired ten-year-old girl came
bounding into his Office full of excite
ment
.Tve lust taken my third treatment"
she said. ~and' it didn't hurt bit l
don't mind it bit now
There's an instance said the doctor
"This little girl was bitten by dog
was playing in front of her home. For
tunately the animal was killed. 1t was
unauestionably afflicted with rabies and
this child will be saved from horrible
death because she came here In time.
The danger is ever present and the best
way to offset it is to muzzle the dogs.
Dozen Persons Waiting.
Out in the waiting room more than
dozen persons were awaiting treatment.
There were several children, nervous
middle-aged woman who was being
soothed by her husband, and four fire
men from truck No. 6, who were bitten
by a dog afflicted with rabies July % and
who are making d daily pilgrimage to
the laborat tory.
An interesting series OF experiments
tod at hn Lob
tory with the idea in mind Of demon
strating the efficacy Of the serum treat
ment devised by DR.. Marie OF the Pas
teur Institute in Paris for cases in
which recourse to the Pasteur treat
ment is not had within a comparatively
short number Of days after incubation
1t is deemed best that persons bitten
by a known mad dog should begin
treatment within two or three days
after the bite, but there are many per-
lack of knowledge of the consequences
Of such a bite do not present them
selves for treatment for much longer
period after incubation
Obtaining the New Serum.
The serum which Dr. Marie discovered
was obtained by repeatedly inoculating
sheep or ponies with the dried spinal
cords or brains of rabbits afflicted with
rabies. in the same manner that human
beings are now inoculated while under
going the regular pasteur treatment The
serum is drawn off from the blood OF
these sheep or ponies, and when inocu-
lated into the human system, is claimed
by the French scientist, to have the effect
of delaying the beginning of the period
Of incubation, thus permitting the regular
treatment to be undertaken with the
same good results as if it had been
commenced within d few days after the
bite.
Before using this serum at the hy-
gienic laboratory or recommending us
use throughou ut the country it was deemei
advisable TO try ii out on animals, In dh
endeayor to demonstrate the correctness
of the French scientist claims. ne
serum has been Pre- duced here under the
direction Cf DR.. A Nj. Stimson, and ~
is now being used On guinea pigs ana
| ra bbits which have been inoculated WIN
/ rabies If it should be demonstrated
| that the serum is effcaciPus 1T VIII oe
| used on human beings in SPECIAL cases
in conjunction with the regular treat
| ment
Indorses Dog Law.
Two cases of animals with rabies were
reported from the bureau of animal IN
dustry today. one being cat or D NC
Comas Hawken of Wisconsin avenue
! which bit Mr. Hawkens child July 80
and the other being a spotted bull ter
rier belonging to Mrs. Elizabeth Jones'
ill5 street northwest. which mad bit
ten no one as far as is known.
Instead of sentiment for change from
the one year muZZlinS order to short
or per.od. Dr. Woodward said this morn
ing hat he would be in favor of muzzling
dogs forever. He believes that it is the
one safe method of preventing rabies.
Leather Muzzles Not Effective
Now that the muZZling order is to be
ctricf bI1iI5ipp ic fai