Evening star., 1915-11-07
Can Cats and Dogs
Communicate Disease?
By EDWIN F. BOWERS, MD.

"a filth disease-typhoid and typhus,
cholera, mumps, measles and scarlet
fever, ringworm, lockjaw, tapeworm,
asthma, common cold, grippe or even
pneumonia, and many other germ dis
eases, have been contracted from animals.
The germs find lodgment in the nos
trils, mouths, throats or furs of our pets,
especially of those permitted to roam
sweet-willed among garbage cans and
refuse piles.
Animals may convey diseases to their
owners by harboring germ-carrying in
sects, the bite of which causes disease in
man. Or germs may find entrance into
our bodies through abrasions in the skin
made by the teeth or claws of ill-tem-
pered, or only rough-playing pets.
OF the two great families of pets-or
pests, depending upon the viewpoint
which enliven mankind, the canine is in
finitely less to be feared than is the feline
Indeed, the chief objection to dogs is that
they are sanitary nuisances- especially
in the city. Also, that swarrns of germs,
and entire colonies of the eggs of para
sites, capable of conveying grave dis
eases if they find lodgment in food or
drink are distributed broadcast by them.
dogs applies equally to cats, with the adj
ditional charge that cats are perfect
hosts for diphtheria germs, owing to the
excellent mobilizing quarters the mi
crohes find in their rough tongues, as well
as on the corrugated roofs of their
mouths, and around the soft palate,
where the bugs increase and multiply
without harming Mrs. or Mr. Cat
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bacilli can be sneezed or expectorated all
over the neighborhood, or be most adj
vantageously distributed over the cats
fur during the cleansing" process. The
consequences to a child handling IL cat
thus infected may be readily surmised.
The Bulletin of the New York Health
Department tells us that dogs and cats
frequently have been responsible for con-
veying "Foot and Mouth Disease" from
one farm to another. Cats, especially,
have been seen with the blisters and sores
characteristic of this disease, on the in
side of their mouths and lips. In several
instances the disorder was communicated
by them to children.
Ringworm is another disease contracted
frequently from "patchy' pets: And if
school child gets it, he may contaminate
whole company OF playmates, before he
is corralled and before the germs can be
killed. Most medical school inspectors
will have little or no difficulty in placing
their fingers and thumbs upon epidemics
that had their triumphant origin in some
ones NANCY cat.
Indeed, the Veterinary Institute of
Berlin, some time ago, found that five and
nine-tenths per cent. of cats have cancer
mostly cancer of the skin, and, while
there is no definite proof that this disease
is contagious, it may be just as we'll to
keep on the safe side of anything so dam
gerous and formidable as cancer
Be very certain that every bite from
either cat or dog is properly cleansed
and cauterlzed If there be the slightest
suspicion as to the moral status of the ami
NAL it would be well and eminentlv SEN
sible to take the Pasteur treatment If
given within week or ten days, the treat
ment is uniformly successful in preventing
hydrophobia.
In many cities throughout the country
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