Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-08-08
Health Department
Issues Warming Of
Stray Dog Menaep
Decrease Noted In Number q.
Cases Treated Against Rahia VI
During First Six Months

For the first time in so,,,
months records of the State Dan.s
ment OF Health, for July, show ~
crease in the number of persons W.
were given the Pasteur treatment
preventive against rabies-bua.
phobia, to use the more fan,;1;.
nan;e-following injuries by docs ~
other animals believed to be r.hs
The total number of persons treatS.
in July was 13, as compared fl
total Of 80 in June, 80 in Nav o.
in April and Is in March. Tbo,.
were many others who applied fl,
treatment after having been iniuraa
by animals that were vicious or WON
acting suspiciously, but that Wow
found to be normal after they had
been kept under observation. the 70
quired length of time. Treatmart
accordingly was unnecessary.
The decrease in the number ~
persons requiring treatment is attr
buted by DR.. C. w. G. Rohrer. Chic.
of the Pasteur Division of the Stata
Department of Health, to the prompt.
ness with which veterinarians in Raj.
timore City and in the counties. and
the Society for the Prevention Of
Cruelty to Animals, cooperate with
the Department in investigating and
determining the actual condition Of
the animals by which the injuries
have been inflicted. "The symptoms
of rabies can usually be readily rec.
ognized," DR.. Rohrer said, "by an
experienced veterinarian. If the ami.
NAL is not rabid, it is not necessary
for the treatments to be given. If
the animal is rabid or there is any
doubt, whatever, about its condition,
the treatments should be started
promptly and continued daily until
the full counse of IA is completed
The disease is fatal if allowed to de-
velop. There is absolutely no cure
for it. The only way to prevent
its development in human beings is
by the prompt cauterization of the
injury and the prompt administration
OF the Pasteur treatment.
During the first six months of the
current year, 121 persons who had
been injured by animals believed to
be rabid were given the protective
treatment against rabies. There were
practically four times as many add
tional applicants-4S2 to be exact
who did not have to be treated, but
who had been injured by animals,
many of them strays, that were sick
or vicious, but not mad.
STRAY dogs are always sources Of
danger. As result of a recent hap
pening in Prince Georges County,
when a dog that had been brought
into the county from another State,
a short time before, developed rabies,
ran amuck, injured several persons
and bit number of dogs, the State
veterinarian declared a quarantine
against all dogs in that section of
the State. The regulation remains
in force until October. AS a pre-
cautionary measure, I wish that SIM
liar action could be taken in every
part of the State whenever a rabid
dog is discovered.
"All dogs that are acting sus-
piciously are not necessarily rabid
When a dog bites someone or acts
in a manner which leads you to
think it may have rabies, DO NOT
KILL THE DOG, if this can be
safely avoided. A laboratory exami-
nation of dogs head for rabies is
not reliable if the dog is killed TOO
EARLY in the disease. Securely tie
or cage the dog so that it connOt
harm anyone. Provide it with food
and water and observe its actions.
Notify a veterinarian or your
Health Officer AT ONCEl If the
dog has rabies it will die, in most
instances, in weeks time. Every
dog thot acts in an unusual manner
should be securely confined and kept
under observation for 10 days
whether or not you suspect rabies.
DO NOT TAKE CHANCES!!lp