Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-08-10
RABIES DANGEROUS
So Declares Secretary Of the State
Board Of Health.
80 PER CENT OF CASES IN DOCS
Advocates EffectuaI Muuling of All Dogs

Whenever a person has been Bit
ten by dog the first thought is and
ought to be the possibilities of ra-
bies. Because of an old superstition
it has become common practice to
have the dog Immediately put TO
death. Whenever the animal is sus-
pected of having rabies, this proce-
dure is highly fallacious and cannot
be too strongly condemned, as it
often makes the positive determina-
tion of whether or not the dog had
the disease. Rabies can only be COM
municated by animals affected with
rabies and only a short time before
the appearance of symptoms. The
dog should be tied or locked up and
closely watched. If symptoms do
not appear in the suspected animal
within a week, the wound has not
been innoculated with the virus of
rabies. If the dog dies within the
period mentioned, the brain, or bet
ter the entire head, should be imme-
diately removed, packed in ice to pre-
vent decomposition, and sent 70 the
Pasteur Institute at Ann Afbor
Michigan. for examination, and if the
suspicion is confirmed by labora-
tory findings, and the diagnosis is
positive the individual who was bit
ten should without further delay be
given the Pasteur treatment.
While the number OF deaths from
rabies occupies no conspicuous place
on the mortality tables OF our state.
the horror of the disease. its inevi-
table fatality and its gruesOme ter
mination makes it one OF the most
dreaded infections known to man
Nearly all animals are suscepti-
bic to rabies. About so per cent OF
the cases occur in dogs, about Is per
cent in cattle Wolves, skunks, cats
and other animals are occasionally
injected. The contagious virus is
present i'm the nerve tissue of inject
ed animals and is most often com
muuicated through the saliva The
bite of rabid animal brings the CON
tagious saliva in contact with the
nerve Gbres, through which il travels
to the cells OF the brain and spinal
cord The period between infec-
tion and the appearance OF the first
symptoms Of rabies varies from a
few weeks to several months. and
during this period Pasteur', treat
ment may be given and the disease
prevented.
Over 90 per cent Of all cases OF
rabies results from being bitten by
dogs 1t is therefore OF highest inn
portance that the muzzling OF dogs
De enforced In Great Britain the
number OF cases in 1889 was 312, at
which time muzzling began to be en-
forced. In 1892 the number Of cases
had been reduced To 3s and the muz-
zling ordinance was relaxed. After
this the number OF cases rapidly in
creased 20 672 in 1895. after which
muzzlng was again enforced and the
number OF cases was reduced To- none
in 1900. Let us profit by the exper-
fence Of Great Britain and remove
this terrible afhiction from our
midst. When animals cannot bite
they cannot communicate the disease
and the contagion of rabies will die
with the dying of the last infected.
Many OF the contrivances sold as
muzzlcs are not effective and are
simply attempts to evade the law.
In town where a muzzling order is
in force unless a dog wears an eth
cient muzzle, one that prevents the
dog from biting. he should be look
ed upon in the same light as dog
that does not wear one.
Very truly yours,
ROBERT l.. DIXON, MD.
Secretary.