New Britain herald., 1917-03-17
7on,n Tobics

Since the edict ordering the mug
 Nling of all dogs went into effect there
 have been heard and received numer-
 ous protests from so called humane animals lovers; people who shuddered
 at the thought of placing the ''cruel
 muzzles" on the door dumb beasts:
 people who declared that. the order was an unjust one. Some of the com-
 plaints were in the nature of yelled attacks on Mayor Quigley and Dr. T.
 E. Reeks, superintendent. of the
 health board. In the first place,
 neither of these two very capable offi-
 cials had anything to say on the question. The order came from the state and was signed by the state commissioner on domestic animals.
 But had Dr. Reeks or Mayor Quigley taken 1t upon themselves to order dogs muExled 1t would seem that they were doing their duty to the public.
 once the situation is thoroughly un-
 derstood. As explained by officials,
 this unusual epidemic of hydrophobia spread up to Waterbury. where there
 SeAe~ city where several mad dogs have been killed after having bitten other beasts and where one we'll known cit- izen was bitten and is even now un- dergoing treatment at the PaSteur In- stitute In New York. Possibly the average person does not fully under stand the peculiarities of hydropho- bia or It's tragic seriousness. Hydro- n an1 l. hA two Greek words. hydro, meaning wa- ter. and phobia, meaning fear. Hence the name, hydrophobia.-fear of wa ter. This name Is given the disease because of the effect that the sight. of water has upon the victims. the mere presence of water throwing them into agonising spasms.
 Authorities tells us that hydropho- bia. or rabies as it is also known, Is an acute disease of m-blooded animals found most frequently in the dog, the cat. and the COW, and that 1t Is conveyed to man by the lower animal. It Is common in those countries which do not have or en- force a mu1sle law. Tn North Ger. many it is extremely rare because of the provision that all dogs shall be muxxied. The average time of elapse between being infected and the development of symptoms of the disease is about six weeks in the adult and a shorter period in chil- dren. Once the disease Is established previous anti-rabic treatment It proves 100 per cont. fatal in man. It Is one of the most agonizing dis eases conveyed to the human race and b ended by merciful death in but few days after. symptoms start.
 Not all who are bitten by mad animals develop rabies but there are no known means of determininx or not 1t will develop within 3 few weeks time. CAuterizing the may prevent the disease if the poison has not gotten into the blood. But there is no way of telling this. The only way to fight hydrophobia Is. to prevent it's pread by muzzling biting domestic animals (cats and logs) when 1t is prevalent, and the ,nly sure hope of preventing it's de- velopment is to start the Pasteur treatment within forty-eight hours lfter one is bitten by rabid animal. If this Is done the mortality is re- iuced from possible 100 per cent. Q one-half of one per cent. The nan who waits until the symptoms develop is doomed.
 To show the dreadful nature of this
 hing, a local physician states that le knew of two men who walked into 'ne of the Pasteur hospitals and said
 hat they had been bitten by SUD- ,osedly mad animals one five weeks md the other seven weeks previously. Each man complaind of very slight Illness but thought that it would be wise to take the treatment. But the disease was already established. + vas too late. With crushing. tragic meaning. the doctor was obliged to
 ay to each man: MT. vol, lad better go homo and strairhten 'ut any affairs you may have to- at- end to and return here for us to do what we can. You have but four or i've days to live" It was so.
 The, men, both able business men. me bitten by his cat, the other by a
 trange dog, returned for further reatment but died within a week.
 Thus. realizing that it is not a natter of injuring the dignity of the poor dumb beast" but that it Is 'ne of probable life or death to a ,uman being. who Is there who will 'btect to having his dog muzzled dur ng the epidemic? Mad dogs have 1sited the city within the past two veeks. They have bitten other dogs ind these dogs may develop the and go mad too. They nay bite your faithful old towser. They may bite your child going to chool. They may bite you. They nay not have rabies and consequent y you would not get the disease. tut f they did have rabies you would be pretty apt to get them too, and, if you waited to. see if you did you would lave to realize that you stood face o face with, the Great Beyond. Is g not worth while to muzzle your own Iindly notions of kind treatment of