The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-08
13S CASES SINCE
 FIRST OF THE YEAR
State Suffer;rg General Epidemic. Poor Element Particularly Af- fected-Father Falls in Faint
 at the Welcome News
By BERRYMAN q. BETTY


 of State Bacteriologist P. B. Moss at the capitol for report on the case. The suspense which had attended the lapse of time between the killing of the dog and the shipment of the animals head the man explained to pr. Moss, had been | uncomfortable. .saa
 | He was an educated man, and he had to some extent made a study of hydro phobia, thereby knowing that a further delay of a day or so, or maybe another week, would not in the least have react ed against the chld's welfare. But he also knew that if the symptoms of rabies once appeared in the patient the sufferer from that time would be doomed to the death route He knew that the disease, when once started, is rarely if ever checked, if 1t has reached it's objective point-the brain of the sufferer.
 So 1t was that when Dr. Moss, in his hale, hearty voice informed the father that meteorological test had failed to reveal any symptoms of the disease, the gratified father fell exhausted in his chair His vigil had been 8 long one, at tended with a mental anguish which his child could not feel. The verdict of the bacteriologist was at the same time both benediction and the signal for a con dition almost bordering on a collapse.
 He was like a child in his thanks
 The Cure for Rabies
 At the end of last nights work in his laboratory, Dr. Moss-whose department is but one of the giant undertakings of the state health department, one of the best systematized offices at the capitol had treated during the day 37 cases, the record for any single day since the de- partment was inaugurated, November 1, 1908. The same mental anguish which the father, mentioned above, underwent prior to receiving a report on the head which he was having examined, was suffered by each of these patients, and at the same time by their families. The fear of rabies has been so great of late as to create a condition almost of panic throughout the regions which appear to be most infected, and has at the same time given rise to the universal query, Where can relief be found?" How can the suffering be ended, even though the disease should not develop?
 What is the cure?
 If you ask Dr. Moss the questions he will simply smile. The answer is so easy, he will say, that it is like taking money from infants. He is almost ashamed to answer, but the courtesy which demands a response comes to the front when the queries are put, and he responds civilly enough-always with apologies
 Muzzle your dogs.
 That, he says, is the only way to stop Its cost will be infinitesimal The only thing needed is a legislative enactment that will compel obedience to the stat utes. And it is the only sure cure.
 A Matter of Fact
 That the muzzling of dogs to prevent positive prevention, has been demon strated in England, a country which at one time was overrun with the disease, and which in the year of 1859 saw the treatment of 672 cases. While the cases were not necessarily fatal-the statistics failing to report the number of deaths by rabies that year-the gerat number of pa- tients was sufficiently alarming to com pei official recognition, with the result that muzzling law was passed.
 The year following the passage of the ordinance there were 43S cases treated and in the year 1897 there were 151 cases. The year of 1898 witnessed the treatment of only F cases, while bare seven were treated in 1899.
 In the year of 1900 not a single patient was treated. The law had successfully done its work, and rabies had been erad icated Members of the state health de- partment entertain no doubt whatever but that similar law in Alabama would as effectively end the disease, while it would at the same time put a stop to one of the most pitiful cases that are ever treated.
 Poor People and Dogs
 singular fact that has been brought to the attention of the state Pasteur of fcials is that the great majority of pa- tients who come to the capitol for treat ment belong to the poorer classes, though, of course, a number of people of consid- erable wealth have been given the treat ment. When it is taken into considera- ton that each patient must remain in Montgomery for at least three weeks in order to become immune from the dis ease. it is at once seen what hardship it works aupon these people.
 To add to the pathos of thes situation, theer are no agencies in Montgomery to- aid inc poor when they come here for treatment. The only roof which they can he directed to is that of the salvation Army which out of it's charltaDie heart gives them the necessary shelter ana food. Many of the charity patients are sent to the capitol by their friends in the community from which they come. but desp;te this A week scarcely passes but that the Salvation Army receives a guest from the state
 A few weeks ago an entire family which u,as here for treatment was sent to the army l.,
 Love of poor people for their dogs IS traditional, and it was never better eN- emplified than at the Pasteur lnstitute The communities in which the poor peo- pie live are usually more thickly settled with dogs than with people, hence the constant comradeship between the man and his animal makes the human beings peculiarly susceptible to the vagarles or the animal.
 Institutes Record During the two and one half years or the existence of the Pasteur department there have been treated for rabies o43 cases, of which number 13S have been treated since January 1 of this year. While especial growth in the number of patients treated has been noted this spring, officials of the institute call atten- ton to the fact that rabies is not more prevalent in the spring or summer than in the winer. As matter of fact, the