Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-08


menace 10 human life in -Four OF our
Western states, in addition 10 destroy
ing millions OF dollars worth OF live
stock. seems almost Incredible to any
one familiar with conditions in the
West Yet that is the situation which
people are facing in Nevada oregon
and Southern California
The coyotes. or prairie wolves. which
nave always a5ounded throughout the
West, have been attacked by tn" rabies
and the disease is sweeping southwark
At au alarming rate. Ordinarily a
kulhiuE. cunning brute that kills
lambs and chickens but is no more
dangerous 10 man than a rabbit, the
coyote has become Il veritabic fighting
hend. afraid OF nothing and biting
with poisoned fangs.
IL is comparatively seldom. even now
that a coyot" attacks a man directly;
hut the rabid animals are invading
ranches and towns. where they bite the
dogs, and these in turn 20 nad, CON
st!,utlnG an eNC".incrcash.G III mace 10
human life. Twcntyfour persons were
reported undergoing the Pasteur treat
mcnf in Reno. and more than 100 have
taken II in Oregon, where the disease
originated. There have been some
cos"s too. where the treatmcn; came
too late.
People Arm Against coyotes.
In some sections. the coyotes have
fairly t"rrorizcd the people In one
county az California. children are go
ing I" school under armed guard. and
all dogs are being either sho, OF muZ-
2lcu. y mad coyote invaded the town
Of WestBort and engaged in u fight
With Il number Of dogs. II finally beat
them off and escaped. Within "A week
several OF the dogs We're mad. and a
muzzlinE ordinance was rushed through
the Town Council!
In Modoc County, California, coyote
invaded Il ranch whipped several dogs,
and entered cabin where two range
riders were sleeping. The men quick
Is awakened and opened fire OH the
wolf from their hunks with boots, bot
ties. and anything else they could lag
their hands on. The coyote was
Knocked on the heal before he had
bitten either OF them.
The seriousness of the menace is in
dictated 10y tho fact that on February
the United States Public Health Ser
vice held Il meeting in Salt Lake CITY,
Of State and municipal health officers.
Forest Service men. and ali others vino
Nigh, be OF use. 10 discuss Ways Of
meeting the situation. Two Federal
surgeons were appointed To stay in Salt
Lake City and direct the treatment of
persons who bad been bitten ana also
TO draft local ordinances to prevent
the further spread "f the disease
among doGS. III hurltlpt 10 'tiS, inc
Federal service will supply local boards
Of health with the virus used III the
Pasteur treatment.
Rallies New In West.
This scourge of rabies promises TO he
rpochal in more ways than one The
Public Health Service is making IL
the occasion 10 emphasize and bring
home to the people the necessity for
proper muzzlinc ordinances These
would absolutely prevent the spread
of rabies. They say that the present
Western scourGe, which Is threaten
ing human life and causing an
economic loss OF millions. was urdouht
eddy started by some dog brought 10
Oregon from the East. Previous to.
1905 rabies had never appeared west of
the Rockies and seldom west Of the
mississippi Its appearance in East
ern cities had been sporadic, and II
was usually stamped out pretty quick
l.. Nevertheless, it has long caused
tho death OF about 100 persons an
nuall" in tho United states.
In 1908 a few cases Of rabies were
reported in the Far West, and in 1910
coyotes in certain isolated mountain
districts O! Oregon 1t spread very
slowly at first. and il r. only within
the last few months that IT has de-
velopci to alarming proportions Now
that it is on the level prairie country.
where both coyotes and dogs abound.
the public health officials say there is
no telling how far il will spread or how
much damage il will do. In the open
West. where live stock is abundant. and
where the wild coyote Is the chief
carrier, the disease presents an entire
~ different problem from that of I'm
Eastern city where an epidemic OF
rab ieS occurs.
Just as the health officers are deter
mined to make this the occasion for q
campaign against rabies. so the West
ern stockmen arc determined to use Il
to work up feeling against their ancient
enemy, the coyote. 1t is the cattlemen
that are suffering most from the rabid
coyotes. One coyote ran amuck In
a herd of steers near Winncmucca. Ne
yada, and bit twenty three of the ami
mails. all of which died. Valuable
horses have also been killed. and the
total loss will probably be very large.
Sheepmen suffer Most.
II is the sheepmen who have suffered
from the ravagcs of the coyote, since
tine immemorial, however. In many
parts of the West the coyotes have
lambs for years and years. despite every
effort to eXterminatc them. HYDRO
phobia does not make them any moro
dangerous TO the sheepmen. for the
thick wool of the sheep protects him
from the infection. But the wool
growers perceive that this is tho
psychological moment to strike their
ancient enemy. His coming has saved
bin for years. lie has learned TO de-
tcct traps and poison with almost hui
man intelligence and he can tell
whether man is carrying gun or
not as far rs he can sec him.
Now that lie has become rabid how
ever, the stockmen are going after him
in concerted fashion that probably
means hts doom. The Stockmen's iour