Middletown transcript., 1914-04-11
A MAD DOG KILLED
DR.. Watson Pronounced 1t a Case
Of Rabies
A SMALL LAD WAS BITTEN

A SMALL LAD WAS BITTEN
The Transcript warns all citizens to
be on the lookout for possible mad dogs.
On Sunday afternoon a medium sized
white dog that had been for some days
running around the town, was shot by
John BARLEY, the town dog-catcher.
The animal had been reported as
acting strangely, and John, who is an
expert in such matters, finding it in the
alley back of The Transcript wandering
blindly about, concluded it was suffering
from rabies, and killed it, and sent its
head to DR.. Watson, the bacteriologist
etc., at Delaware College, who pro-
nounced it a case of rabies.
The dog is also said to have been for
days running around among the ours in
Hamtown, and to have bitten several.
Purnell McWhorter fearing his dog that
had been in the company of the shot
animal, might have been bitten, killed
it.
The mad animal seemed to be a
stranger, and fortunately had not fully
reached the stage of great excitement
when the disease being fully developed,
the crazy dog runs a savage muck at
tacking other dogs right and left But
it may have bitten several dogs, and
some of these may develop rabies within
the next few weeks.
We therefore strongly urge the own
ers of all dogs in and around Middletown
to watch their dogs, and if they notice
any decided change in their actions, es-
pecially if they act suIlen, hide them
selves behind chairs, or in corners, etc.
to shut them up securely (if the animals
be valuable) and wait further develop
ments, or if they be of little value, to
shoot them at once.
Rabies is constantly increasing in this |
country, and at this time is quite pre-
valent in Pennsylvania, Maryland and |
Delaware. Red Lion and st. Georges
Hundreds are quarantined against rabies
by the State Board of Health, and the
citizens cannot be too careful to antici-
pate any wholesale outbreak such as
three years ago Middletown missed by a
hair only, when at least six or ten dogs
with rabies, were shot in the wholesale
raid made on Hamtown before they had
time fully to develop the disease. These
animals were all bitten by the Pullman
dog which, after attacking and biting
dogs all over town, was shot, and his
carcass hauled out to the woods.
The writer, convinced that the Full
man dog had the dreaded rabies, per-
suaded Chief Hilyard and -Bartley
ID accompany him to the woods, where
by the light of a lantern this dogs head
was cut off, and shipped to DR.. Watson
who at once reported it mad. There
upon followed the slaughter of some so
Or so dogs all over town, and the awful
of several of these savage
1rutes crazed with rabies, loose in the
own, peril to dog and man, was
iverted.
The State Board of Health, hearing
hat little dog of Mrs. Chamberlain
lad bitten DR.. Vaughn's lad Henry,
'rdered the dogs head sent to DR.. Wat
on for examination as to it's condition.
t was not that the dog was mad, but
he danger of rabies is so great in this
that the Board felt it
wise to make the above demand.
The little lads had been playing with
he dog, perhaps, a trifle roughly, and
Henry giving it thump on the back,
he animal bit him on his gloved hand
ausing the blood to flow. We trust it
vas only case of bad temper, and not
# rabies, though you can never surely
ell save by microscopical examination
# the brain of the dog.
The Transcript wishes to add few I
words in praise of John Bartley's good J
Judgment and prompt action in the case {
# the slain dog. He did not wait for
my order to kill, but on his own motion
net the emergency, and as the event {
proved, wisely. John knows from his
ong experience when dog is mad, and
las both nerve and a good eye to put =
he dangerous animals out of action.
lie is a valuable man for the position. '