The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-06

tfaHt = = ~ 81 Is 4 . i .
Peaceful Tabby, purring upon the
hearth, spetted and pampered by the
whole family Is now declared by a
government scientist to be an agent
Of the most deadly germs, spreading
disease and death among those who
fondle her. Investigation has proven
that In a cats sleek soft fur. upon
which the baby delights to rub Its
cheek, Turk the germs OF tuberculosis,
Fof smallpox and that deadly disease
sof; babies and children, diphtheria.
\ The cat is a roaming animal. Even
the most carefully watched house pet
I viii stink out at night and 1t is then
that they come In contact with infect.
ed dirty cats which live perhaps in
sduallid shanties among disease,
stricken people. Its long fur affords
d natural breeding place for the
germs. II he cat returns to its home
thoroughly innoculated. The mother
siniles as the baby tumbles about on
the floor with Tabby. When the child
is stricken every disease breeding
source is considered except the fam.
ily cal. 2 says DR.. A. M. Fisher. 1t is
saS noted fact that people who would
mot touch a dog think nothing of fond!
ling and kissing cats. Felines are
particularly fond OF jumping upon
the beds OF their masters and cuddling
close to them. Babies are allowed to
play freely with cats.
Practically the only thing to be
feared from a dog is hydrophobia. To
this terrible disease, says, DR.. Fisher,
cats areas susceptible as dogs though
they do not bite people as often, yet
cases Of hydrophobia from cat bites
s are not infrequent. The Biological
Survey Is now working on plans to
Z have laws passed in the District of
/ Columbia as a guidance for all the
States to license cats, because, they
n say, most OF the trouble comes from
/ stray cats. The danger in the house
y cal, living in a clean home comes
\ mainly through its contact with alley
4 eats. Licensing would permit the kill.
Ing OF stray eats. Data is now being
gathered by the Survey upon the sub.
Z ject of disease infection by cats. Dr..
Fisher hopes soon to publish bulle.
tin citing specific instances.
wo cases are given by prominent
French scientist, NJ. Befgeon, Of cats
8 which were infected with tubercular
I germs through contact with persons
afflicted with the disease. In both in.
stances the cats were owned in fami.
Hes where young girls died from the
rnnlady. The death Of the cats oc.
curred shortly afterward. The doc.
tors had noticed the fondness Of the
girls for the cats. A post norton ex.
S5amination OF the cats was accordingly
made with the results that in both in.
stances unmistakable traces Of tuber.
y ctilar Infection were found. The next
4 charge brought against the cat by DR..
Fisher, is that 1t spreads ringworms,
"a Very painful and sometimes danger.
onsS disease. Rats and mice are ne.
cnllarly susceptible to this disease
and 1t is transmitted from them to
cats. The presence OF the disease on
cats hidden by. their fur is not un,
common. 1t was through the frequent
appearance of ringworms on hands
Of babies that the germ theory was
first pursued aaginst the cat. Cats
are considered the natural enemies
q rats and mice. They are kept often
simply 10 kilisthese pests. DR.. Fisher
claims that not five per cent. OF the
cats are mousers and that instead
they Kill gameSand song birds.
2 . =. ~ . ~. {. = w.. a .
AS a matter of fact" said DR.. Fish
ser. Cats prefer birds to mice. They
: VIII spend twice as much time hunt
Ing birds as mice. II one keeps count
ot q cats quarry during the year he
viii find that the birds killed far out
number tie mice. i'
Recently there has been much at
tentioii paid TO rats and the harm the,
DO, both as destroyers and as spread
ers of disease. In this connection i
has been pointed out what a yaluabl,
animal the cat Is to keep down tn,
s rats. That Is an error. I can stat,
from my own personal obseryatIo,