378 KENNEL DISEASES. 
entered. While some dogs have lived a goodly number of years and died 
without having the disease. 
The young are probably more susceptible to it than the matured, but there 
is no disputing the fact that an experience with it at any period of life is not 
absolutely necessary; nor possible while its specific germs are successfully 
evaded. 
In other words, as long as one’s dog does not come in contact with, or 
approach within a few feet of, a sufferer from distemper or any animate or in- 
animate thing that bears its germs, he cannot have that disease. 
While by unremitting vigilance and constant care there are many chances 
of a dog escaping distemper, even the greatest caution and application of the 
most faithful protective measures cannot insure immunity from it, for he may 
be constantly perfectly isolated and never allowed to leave his kennels, yet 
sooner or later encounter a person who has recently been in contact with a 
victim of the disease, acquired some of the germs, which clung to his clothing, 
and thus become an innocent conveyer or means of transmission. 
The owners of valuable dogs, therefore, should exercise a reasonable amount 
of care against infection; but to go further and institute and practise rigid 
precautionary methods would not be justifiable, since the chances of failure 
are so many. 
During late years interesting experiments have been conducted with the pur- 
pose of preventing the disease by means of inoculations with attenuated dis- 
temper virus. Thus far the results have been somewhat disappointing, and 
up to the present time no means of prevention has been discovered that has 
stood the crucial test. 
But in view of the lasting immunity conferred on dogs by an attack of the 
disease, it seems highly probable that a method of producing artificial immu- 
nity will eventually be perfected. 
As for the nostrums that have been advertised as sure protectors against 
distemper, one and all are positively worthless. 
To destroy the germs of disease and render kennels safe after cases of in- 
fectious maladies have occurred therein, the main reliance in times past has 
been sulphur fumes. That this means is usually effectual when rightly applied 
cannot be denied, but, unfortunately, in the hands of the inexperienced it often 
fails to accomplish its purpose; and other and more certain methods of disin- 
fection have long been sought. Recently a new invention for disinfection has 
been adopted by some Boards of Health, which seems not only to do its work 
without causing the inconveniences of sulphur, but also much quicker and 
better. The active agent is formaldehyde gas; which is manufactured in a 
very simple stove or lamp. 
The basis of this gas is wood alcohol. The present stove is of simple con- 
