The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-03
Mao Coyotes
Cause Terror
in the w est
Animal InOculated With
Rabies as Experiment
Spreads Disease.

the valleys OF Nevada. northern Call
fornia, eastern oregon n eastern
Washington.
And one man-whom 1t was claimed
innoculated a captive coyote for the
purpose OF discriminating the species
In said to be responsible for the reign
Of fear, the harvest Of death and the
possible property loss Of millions.
The number OF these raving animals
lurking In the shadows Is purely "a
matter Of conjecture-some say nun
dreds-others contend there are thou
sands In the infected territory.
Edward II. Sans. expert for the
| United States Biological Survey. pro-
nounces the disease rabies. The lay
men continue to call It h~ydrophobia.
From southern Nevada along the
east slope Of the Sierra Nevada Noun
tains to the Canadian line the scourge
has spread--and is spreading. Hun
dreds-perhaps thousands-of chill
dren attending the rural schools in the
infected areas are warned Of the pos
oible danger to human life and, in
many instances, are armed for defencc.
Losses OF cattle n sheep on the des-
ert and IN the valleys reach into the
hundreds Of thousands OF dollars.
Governor johnson Of California.
rrvernor Boyle Of Nevada. Governor
Widdecombe OF Oregon and the local
officials OF the various counties ar
fected have all taken some p~recaution-
ary action. The Pasteur treatment for
rabies has been given-or Is being
given-to owe fifty people in the
universities Of California, Oregon and
Notwithstanding to reliable reports.
Dr.. Henry Bergstein. city health OFF,
Ger Of Reno. New, has issued a warn
ing to the Nevada metropolis:
"~Hydrophobia may lay dormant in
the systems OF animals" he says. "for
some time before the physical con-
dition which We all recognize as
serts itself. Thus a dog that
has been bitten by an infected
animal some time before might
appear to be cross and surly, with none
Of the common symptoms which We
recognize: such as frothing at the
mouth. swapping and convulsions.
Thus 1t can be readily seen tina very
material damage can be done before
We are aware.
ALREADY We have sixteen persons
bitten in Nevada. six OF whom are re-
ceiving treatment at the university.
The disease is gradually coming this
way and I urge you to prepare to
meet the emergency.
1T In true that three months have
elapsed since the animal infection was
discovered In Winnemucca. In that
period OF time II has reached Love
lock "a distance of about nifty milcs)
and there is no telling when a rthld
dog or coyote may bite some Of the
local dogs and thereby start q deadly
scourge here. For, be il known. that
when once the disease reaches the
stage where the usual symptoms as
sert themselves in human beings
there Is no power on earth that can
save the lives of the victims.
1.-THE method Of treatment is to AXE
the patient, Immediately after icing
bitten, and give the serum, which
counteracts the h~ydrophobia before the
latter gets n start. AS II Is there are
numerous Of the patients who take
the Pasteur treatment whO die
According to current reports Que
man Is responsible for this tragic con-
dition. This man. as the story goes,
was formerly Il practising physician
with technical ideas of chemistry and
surgery. He was engaged in the sheep
business in a small way in eastern
Oregon. Little was known or him and
now II is reported that he has disap-
peared-probably as a result Of re-
morse.
Having suffercd LOSSES in his flock
as a result Of the dcpreiations Of coy
otes in normal condition he deter
ninAd 70 eliminate tbn cptir, yt,,,i,S
On some pretcXt he procured
the virus to %innoculatc "A captive coy
ote with rabies and turncl the ami
nal loose. II was his belief that when
the animals went mad they would prey
upon each other, but the contrary has
proven the rule. Human beings. cat
tie. horses, sheep. hogs and cougars
have proven victims.
Many mad coyotes have been seen
many have been killed. \ few #
these show symptoms indicating tho
acute stage OF the disease. They froth
at the mouth, so about blindly, stag
ger1ng from one side of the rodd to tho
other and either snap. or attack tcna-
ciously, everything In their path.
In northern Lake county, Orerou. 4
mad coyote entered a Kitchen ou ono
OF the isolated ranches in that section,
and il was only through the iutcrpoS.-
ton OF he kindest fortune that tho
woman, who happened to I've in tho
dining room, adjoining, was saved
from attack-aud probably death.
She kept the coyote out by shutting
the door between the kitchen and du-
ing room and, in the meantime, mon
on the ranch. who had witnessed tho
,mpudent entrance OF the animal.
rushed to the kitchen window aud
despatched 1t with a couple Of we'll de
rected shots. The head of tho cnyotn
was sent to the State university for
examination and the physicians there
pronounced the brain diseased w.t..
rabies. Many similar Instances htNr
occurred.
Cowboys and sheep hcrdcrs arc al
armed and seek the shelter of s"Nlo
secure cabin or shelter at night. RIO
Government has instructed all for @
rangers to assist in destroying t.H
animals. In many places lrpfc oion.tI
coyote hunters are heinz hired 10y tho
counties or the Government.
Edwin II. Sans. expert 'or th" fn'i'I
States Biological Survey. sp"ni IN1
months Of last summer u Mod