620 VETEKINAEY HYGIENE 



those responsible for the suppression of animal diseases are 

 afraid to apply the law. 



The disease can only be conveyed by inoculation, and 

 the incubative period depends to an extent on the seat of 

 injury ; wounds of the face give rise to symptoms earlier 

 than wounds of the limbs, owing to their close proximity 

 to the central nervous system. 



Most animals probably show symptoms within a month, 

 though there are prolonged incubative periods extending 

 over very many months, which are the exception rather 

 than the rule. 



On the occurrence of a case of rabies every dog within a 

 radius of twenty-five miles should be muzzled, and this 

 order should be issued by the Central Authority by tele- 

 graph to the police, so that all ownerless dogs may be 

 captured and destroyed with the least possible delay. 

 With a good administration, and energetic executive, not an 

 ownerless dog should exist alive within that radius in three 

 days. 



It is not expected that muzzles will be obtainable locally 

 in that time for all the dogs in a twenty-five mile radius, 

 but until obtained the animals must be kept tied up, which 

 in the event of a rabid dog being at large is a great safe- 

 guard. 



Concomitant with this should be a rigid inspection by 

 the Eevenue Authorities of all dog licences. This would 

 place many ownerless dogs into the hands of the police, 

 for one of the chief objects aimed at is getting rid of the 

 surplus dog population and the ownerless cur. 



The muzzling order of the infected area should be for at 

 least six months. Should a case occur on the margin of 

 the zone, or at any distance from the original centre, another 

 infected radius of 25 miles should at once be added. 



There is scarcely a disease where the importance of a 

 big infected zone is more essential than in Eabies, owing to 

 the wanderings of the rabid dog. County muzzling is 

 simply criminal; no question of county division should 

 ever be considered where diseases are concerned. 



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