New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-20

no deaths. not one. A word to the as
tigmatic owners OF dogs, VINO reason
in this thoughtless fashion: The meas
ure for the suppression of rabies, com
monty called hydropho bia, are in the
interests of dogs as well as human be
ings. The Health Department of New
York is merely adopting policy wnlch
has been successful in other cities.
Berlin. Vienna, Munich have all made
the experiment. and in all these cities
il has succeeded. AS long as rabies
exists in one OF these cities and Tor
reasonable period Of incubation after
the last case. say six months, all dogs
appearing on the streets and in other
rlaces must wear properly lifting muz-
zles.
England has been singularly success
full in her campaign against the Verlta-
bic plague of rabies. The dread disease
had been prevalent in Great Britain Tor
many wears. In 1889 there were. 81
cases of rabies among dogs and thirty
cases with human beings. muzzllng
law was enacted. with the result that
in 1892 there were only "a cases OF
rabies in dogs, but six in human
beings. The muzzling law was then
relaxed and in 1895 the number Of
cases Of rabies in animals reached a
total of 672, and there were twenty
sacrifices of human life. Again the
muzzlng law was enforced with excel
lent results for two years, and later
more rigidly enforced, with the result
that since 1898 there have occurred no
cases of rabies in human beings, and
since 1902 none in dogs.
Lives of Dogs Spared.
Lovers of dogs will note that by this
course not only has human life been
conserved, but dog life has as well
/ been spared, the menace to dogs, as
TO man, removed.
at is a gross mistake TO say or TO
believe that the danger OF rabies passes
with dog days OF the heated months
II occurs the year round. In 1907, for
/ instance. we had as many cases OF
rabies in January as in August and IN
September, and more in gentle. June
than any other month. II is disease
| that has no calendar limitations.
"But | am asked, Why is II not
enouoh TO place dog on the leash
/ WHY torture MIN with a mueller
/ "a proper muzzle doesn't torture him
anv more than the pink or blue satin
bow for which you waste money 10
adorn him. 1t is claimed that ne SUI
fers because he cannot protect himself
against feas and other insects. Dogs
have four legs, all plentifully supplied
with apparatus for scratching, More
over. nature has furnished him with
tho instinct for rubbing his BODY
AGAINST the curtrtone, the corner OF a
b1ilding or even furniture, an instlnct
which he freely employs for his rellei
7 from insects.
tant is this, that Of the l,334 cases OF
dog bites i'm Manhattan from January
10 September of this year 90 were
made BY dogs on the leash. In Inc
Bronx. of ESQ cases, l2S were caused
by leashed dogs. In Brooklyn' OF I'zl
cases. there were lbs instances ol
bites bv dogs or the leash. In Queens
Borough the relative number OF case
was AIS and SO. and in the Borough o;
Richmond. 81 and 6. ! think i neec
dwell no more on that point.
"Freouently a misguided owner OF
doos will say that the special breed
of DOGS which he owns never contracts
rabies. Again let me summon the ala
of figures. Bulldogs lead in the num-
ber Of cases of rabies in New YORK
CITY this year. The proportion OF pull
terriers to the other breeds IS 3S.3 per
cent. Fox terriers press close upon
this record. Thirty-two and hve-tenlns
per cent of the rabid dogs we're toN
terriers. Following in the order men
toned are collies, mongrels' settlers
spaniels. poodles, Dalmatians, spitz
King Charles spaniels, Great Danes
black and tans, ST. Bernards' pointers
and elbows.