Year: 1879




The communication in the REpuBLi-


CAN yesterday by gentleman Of large
, medical experience and knowledge, In
reference to the "mad dog" question


should be read carefully by every citi-


zen, and il it will arouse such a feeling


of fear as viii result in the muzzliDg oi


every dog in the city, then 1t will have


accomplished some good. Cases Of hy-


drophobia have become SO common OF


late that an instructive fear Of being bit


ten by rabid dog in the streets at any


moment, should take possession OF every


mind. Who knows how many of the
dogs running at large In the streets
have been bitten by mad dogs, and
are at any moment in danger OF being
attacked with the rabies, and start
ing of on a round of death. No one
knows how many dogs we're bitten by
the dog that bit George W. Powell, and
how many of them may yet be fondled
and petted and patted by the children
of the household, liable at any moment
to receive from them death snap. We
trust and hops that the little dog that
ran into the drug store and bit Mr.
James Walton on Sunday last, and as
disappeared was not suffering
with hydrophobia, but II it really was
mad who knows how many dogs 1t may
have bitten in the streets both before
and after its attack on Mr.. Walton, and
perhaps at this very hour it may be in
a home, found by some sympathizing
person, where there is a house full OF
children. The thought is horrible to
and more horrible is the
thought Of the after results that must
inevitably follow. The case Of Mr.. Al
'xander Of Delaware City,to which our
correspondent yesterday y referred, is one
hat should stir up in the breast Of ev-
'rybody such q feeling as would re
ult in the destruction OF every worth
ess cur found running at large or even
bout and within the house without be-
ng muzzle6. We think we are per-
orming a duty We owe as journalists to
he people of Wilmington when We
ound the tocsin OF alarm and call upon
hem to defend themselves from the
ogs which they are perhaps huggipg t
0 their bosom and which may be to q
hsm the viper that may sting them to !,


horrible death. Mr.. Sedgwick got Q
lis death bite by fondling strange dog p
'hich he was trying to protect, and Mr.. >,
DWELL got his death bite by fondling a
nd pettiDg his own dog. q


There is no security 10 human life in -
city where dogs are allowed to run
large unmuzzled, and we call upon a
he City Council not only to have the
in relation to dogs rigidly u y
but SO amended that when OIL
yer an unmuzzled dog is seen upon a
le streets it will not be an unlawful
ct for any citizen to kill it on sight.
his may seem like resort to extreme
leasures, but the exigencies of the
mes demand something of this kind. .
here are no doubt dogs in this city C
live to-day, that have been bitten by 81
Iad dogs and it were better that o. o.
very dog in the city should be decap- b!
ated, than that one of them al
,ould be seized With fit Of hydro N
hobia and start out on its round Of or
sath. We would call upon the citizens sa s


nuzzle their dogs, no matter whether IN u,
icy are kept within the houses or are III
lowed to run outside, and we would !
III npon the City Council to pass an .s
dinance snjoining every citizen that
vns dog either to kill or muzzle it. tn


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