Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-12
DOG APPROXIMATIONS TO
 CHECK SPREAD OF RABIE


 The subject of rabies and the import | ance of it's control has been a matter | of great concern to the state of Con 1 necticut and other states, says George E. Corwin, D. " S., deputy commission | ] CT of domestic animals. Outbreaks have occurred from time to time due to the nature of the disease in dogs, which causes them to run wild, 1t is quickly spread to remote parts. Consequently, rabies has increased in some localities to an alarming extent.
 | Dogs are the animals mostly affected and this Is due to the fact that their nature is to attack, and dog running wild through strange territory with ra- bies will invariably be attacked by other dogs, resulting in fight and inoculation through biting.
 The facts above mentioned make this disease (which is always considered fa- tai after it's development) one to be con | s1dered seriously and any measure which will control or eradicate it is of vast importance to public health. The only means of control until this year. which were adopted and put into effect. was
 by quarantine. In brief, this method was to quarantine all dogs in a town ship where rabies was known to exist The quarantine ordered that all dogs iShould be securely chained or housed upon the owners premises. until such time as this order or quarantine was rescinded While this measure has been some what successful as means of control, 1t has not been means of eradicating
 rabies and also it caused considerable
 hardship to the dog so quarantfned and
 it's owner. Usually the period of quar- antine was necessarily leengthy. The quarantine could not be rescinded until safe lapse of time after the last known
 case
 During the outbreak of rabies in this state this last year, which at the time , appeared to be reaching statewide pro- . portions, the quarantine method wal
 again used, but in addition. the vaccin- 1. ating of dogs with anti-rabies vaccine . was urged, and a dog so vaccinated 5 after a lapse of ten days after vaccina, U tion, was given liberties, in so far as i
 was not subject to the quarantine reg ! ulations The quarantine ordered tha any dog bitten by rabid dog or anfna $ must be killed unless the anti-rabies SC : rum treatment was given within thre' ;, days after having been bitten or i1focu $ lated, such treatment to be given by l, registered veterinarian, who in turn re t ported such treatment to the office of tn l. commissioner of domestic animals, giy ing all details. The dog so treated wa l, then kept in quarantine for at leas !; twenty-one days, when. if no symptom r. appeared at that time, 1t could be re e leased from quarantine.
 isl Rabies Reported in Connecticut. Animal rabies cases reported to com ' missioner on domestic animals have bee ' as follows:
 r Jan. l, 1917. to Oct. 1, 1917. 15o; oc 1, 1917, to Oct. 1, 1918, 11o; Oct. T 1918, to July 1, 1919. S5; July 1, 1s1: to July 1, 1920, 21: July 1, 1920. to Jul n 1, 1921. 10; July 1, 1921. to Dec. 1, 1s2, ' 12; Dec. l, 1921. to July 1, 1922, 2t. ie Humane cases reported to the stat :. department of health were as follows: VI 1917 4, 1918 2, 1919 2, 1919 0, 1920 os 1921 6, 1922 (to date) 0.
 Connecticut was the first state to adol le vaccination methods and to recognize f .t value as a protective means. It was n re an experiment with the state of Connect
 cut, sbut was based upon conclusive dat t9 indicating that with such methods u an menace of rabies could be eliminated. 'd Since the dog owners of Connectic al learned that rabies vaccine would pr T. vent a dog from developing rabies if bi t- ten by a rabid dog. there have been w. 522 dogs vaccinated against rabies us Since this was done, six vaccinated do Ti- have been bitten by a known rabid d. .c- and none have developed rabies. An i as teresting incident occurred when knov JlS rabid dog bit two unvaccinated dogs al
 
 it ated dogs developed rabies and the va ed cinated dog did not develop rabies. on. Calling your attention to the showi en above, I vii state that none of the do no which received the anti-rabies treatme pm succumbed to rabies.
 ir- The extent of stray dogs in Connec he cut can be appreciated when it is real all ed that during the past year, 5.711 stE
 dogs were caught.
 cd Vaccination of dogs against the disea ,ce known as rabies, disease which uno air the past system of control could not 'ds eradicated. is the most logical, scienti ;,, method of eradication and absolute ee ' M trol of this deadly malady. The har " lessness to dogs vaccinated, the moders 1i M cost Of vaccination. one treatment or
 being necessary, should appeal to all E E.u a cooperative measure to stamp out tl .n .,iu disease. Should every dog owner co ttS ply with the request to have his dog V; ., cfnated each year for a period of t the years, there is no doubt but that 'nd bies would cease to exist in Connectf, ave and the benefit derived bath by 1 CT human family and the canine race wol Ire, be immeasurable as a health and saf in problem.