382 



FOREST AND " STREAM. 



\ht Hqnn-ql 



PROPHYLAXIS OF HYDROPHOBIA. 



IN view of the unfavorable prognosis in hydrophobia, aba 

 the complete inefficiency of all the therapeutic agents 

 •when the disease is once established, it naturally follows that 

 in all rational efforts to control the malady prophylactic meas- 

 ures must always prove our chief weapons of offense, 



Of chief importance in this connection are the general 

 prophylactic measures to be enforced by the State against hy- 

 drophobia in animals, and we will endeavor to indicate what 

 sanitary regulations me best adapted to contine the spread of 

 this malady within the narrowest possible limits. 



The first important point to be insisted upon is, the reduc- 

 tion of the number of dogs. The comparative danger to be 

 apprehended from hydrophobia diminishes as the total num- 

 ber of dogs becomes reduced, and the moat effective method 

 of reducing the number of dogs consists in laying the highest 

 possible tax upon them. This tax should be the same for all 

 dogs, without regard to sex, and any remission of the same 

 should be strictly limited to such dogs m are absolutely neces- 

 sary for the performance of certain kind of work. 



The aggregate number of dogs is very large, In Central 

 Europe there is found on the average one dog for every six- 

 teen human beings. The total number of dogs in nil Europe 

 amounts to about twelve, millions. Dclafoade estimated the 

 number of dogs in France in 1840 at between three and four 

 millions. In Bavaria, according to recent computations, there 

 are 300,000 dogs to four and eight-tenths millions of human 

 heings. The disproportion between the sixes is shown # hy 

 the fail that while the male constitutes- 86 per cent, of the 

 total number of dogs, there are found ou the average but 10 

 per cent, females. It may be stated, furthermore, in favor 

 of thetaxaliou of dogs, of which about 80 per cent, are kept 

 as a matter of luxury, that these animals, from the. very fact 

 form the vehicles for the communication of various 



. and alst 

 i parasites, exercise a delete 



T 

 alldu 



ing n 

 preve 

 and d 



W'l 



If cattle. 



State s 



:, Hvei 



ould also provide for a < 



■ dog should he supplied 



unrestrained roaming al 



. je should be p 



si. for the propagation of 

 us influence upon the breed- 

 's] 



registration of 

 vith some distinguish- 

 out of dogs should be 

 irsiied by the police 

 », kundebrdn/wiff). 

 directions should be 

 i considerable length 



er hand, it is pre- 



rthe theory of the 



wearing of muz- 



an assertion which 



so completely re- 

 node of origin of 

 In Berlin, dogs were 

 :> wear muzzles, during 

 eurred. It is, more- 



ases of hydrophobia occur, 

 ._ id for all dogs to be muzzled for 

 of lime -, they Should either he- led by means of a cord, or 

 else fcept penned up. The failure to notify the authorities 

 of tin- existence of a caseof hydrophobia, should be made a 

 punishable offense. The regulations just mentioned oughl 

 always to be made applicable to as large a district as pos- 



Rabid dogs should be destroyed, and likewise flogs that 

 : i ■ . ■ i . . - , ■ i i oitteu by them, although nohuman being may have 

 been bitten. If human beings have been bitten by rabid or 

 suspected dogs, they should lie destroyed, as soon as the ex- 

 istence, of rabies in "them has been determined. 



Dogs suspected of being rabid, and also the dogs bitten by 

 them, should be carefully confined at the owner's expense, 



a I i nsideration of the long period of incubation, they 



should be kept secured for at least six months. The oridnary 

 t.erm of confinement, from sis weeks to three months, is man- 

 ifestly to.-, short. 



"The obligatory muzzling of dogs at times when hydropho- 

 bia prevails as an epizootic, has always, in all localities, been 

 attended bv favorable results. On t l_n 

 tended by some, especially those who 

 spontaneous origin of hydrophobia, tha 

 ,. ..ji'S the development of the dise 

 is unsupported by proof, and which 

 fined by what is known respecting fch 

 rabies, and by various observations * 

 required, for a period of nine years, 

 which time no instanceof hydrophot 

 over, fallaciously urged by the opponents of the muzzle, that, 

 in localities where dons roam about, in large numbers perfectly 

 unrestrained and subject to no inspection, hydrophobia is an 

 unkuown evil. How unfounded tins notion is may he per- 

 ceived from the fact that, m Constantinople, Egypt, Algeria. 

 Cochin China, Greenland, etc., etc , hydrophobia does occur. 

 It, may be mentioned, as a matter of curiosity, that the blunt- 

 in " of the front teeth has been recommended by someasa 

 prophylactic measure against the malady, and it has cveu been 

 suggested that small, flattened metallic, caps be fastened by a 

 screw to the corner teeth, for the purpose of rendering the 

 bite innocuous." , , , . . 



The excessive prevalence of hydrophobia in many years is 

 mainly attributed to the absence of any sanitary organization 

 charged with the supervision of veterinary 

 wmifof statutory or police regulations, or t 

 administration, simple points regarding whic 

 Hies are of one opinion. By appropriate and energetic sam 

 tary measures, the hydrophobia ol dogs, like the gri ater num- 

 berof infectious animal diseases, may be easily conhucd withm 

 a small area, even if the malady b- 1 at the very 



, , , The bj lOthesis I i - IS development of 



bia, tonus a poweriul obstacle to the enforcement 



, '. ..uiai-y measures of this sort, and furnishes here, as in 



other epizootics, a convenient, loop-hole, which leads to end- 



The only efficient means of eradicating the disease, in the 



e'riminatciv in the infected localities; this step is also import- 

 mt for the reason that the prevalence of tile malady among 



these animals forms a continuous source of danger to human 



beings and dogs. 



All attempt? as yet made to subject dogs to preventive 

 , , i i , by meaiis'of internal remedies, have proved inetfec- 



Finally the circulation among dog owners of pd 

 toni.alhai eoneeraing the. nature and most, important symp- 

 toms of hydrophobia, as it occurs in dogs, fe exttemely deeira 

 ble, and at the same time ... 01 tn as 



,,f correcting the numerous erroneous ideas which ... 

 .lent, with regard to this disease, as it exists in man and in am- 

 nials. 



uiatten 



'. til! 



A I'tTTsniiTiOfT Keskei,.— On June 25; desiring a little rest I 

 From the cares of my profession ami a snill' of the country air, i 

 I started in company with two well known fellow-sportsmen j 

 for a drive of about nine miles over the hills that skirt the 

 beautiful Ohio Fiver, to spend an hour or two looking over 

 the kennel of setters in charge of Mr. B. The pi.. 

 somely situated on a bluff overhanging the river, contains 

 about ten acres, everything about being in good order, and 

 scrupulously neat, and clean. 



The kennels arc neatly whitewashed, and so situated that 

 the dogs can enjoy the cool retreat of deep shade at auy r time 

 they may be so inclined. But. the Object of this writing is to 

 tell of the pair of grand setters 1 saw there— Belton, sired by 

 Syke's Dash, out of Daisy, and bred by Mr. Thus. Blatter, ol' 

 Manchester, England, and Macdomr's Magnet, sired by English 

 Hock, out of Lily White, who, by the way, is now m whelp 

 to her splendid kennel mate. Believing .Mr. Macdona well 

 knows what a tine and thoroughly good dog ought to he. since 

 he not only owns but ran the great dog Banger in the late 

 field trials in England, and knowing that one of the get of 

 this pair is to be shipped back to him in England. (Here- 

 marked to several gentlemen of my acquaintance that Magnet 

 was the best bitch of her age he ever owned), I was most 

 anxious lo see her action in the field. Mellon I know all 

 about, having seen bis magnificent carriage, style ami great 



speed, exhibited on the prairies m the hollis'l and I. ..-est 

 days in August, and I believe to-day In- has no superior either 



in bl 1 or as a StOCk-getter, or in the field, s,, far as America 



is concerned. With such a sire and dam, the get of this pair 

 ought to he as good as breeding anil training can make (hem. 

 Of course there was nothing to hunt, but Mr. 1!. kindlv look 

 them to a largo pasture field and cast them off. It was a 

 splendid sight and aggravating, too, for just as we entered 

 the field two fine cock miails Hushed within fifty yards an 1 

 disappeared in a rye field, where we could not go. Still we 

 saw style enough for one day ; heads in the air, right and left 

 they worked to the motion of the hand. We were all de- 

 lighted, and when we saw Magnet charge at the raising of 

 the hand, a hundred yards or more away. I felt, sure that if 

 Mr. Maedniia's opinion of her great powers of scenl and won- 

 derful staying qualities carry out (and 1 believe they will), I 

 am sale m faying that the litter now promised will make their 

 mark whcivv'er they go. It is a great pleasure to know thai 

 Western Pennsylvania sportsmen have the enterprise and am- 

 bition to own "as line dogs as can be had for money; and, 

 further, il is a gratification to know that these superb dogs 

 are owned by experienced gentlemen sportsmen, who will 

 develope the best tield work they are capable of under their 

 own guns. I predict for Magnet an illustrious career in 

 America. Belton has long since established himself by his ex- 

 cellent lick) qualities to the admiration*)!' many whose privi- 

 lege it has been to shoot over him. one of whom is your hum- 

 ble servant, South Foci;. 

 . — *». — . — _ — 



DesiercrioN ok DofiS. — On Thursday las!, .July 5, nearly 

 one thousand dogs were drowned in the East River, at the 

 pound, foot of Sixteenth street, i >f all the number captured but 

 thirty were deemed worthy of preservation. 



The expressions of emotion depicted upon the countenances 

 of the numerous canines as they were thrown into the iron cage, 

 or as that vehicle of execution rolled b.v the kennel, were piti- 

 ful in the extreme, especially when accompanied by moans of 

 distress, human like iu sound. No one who witnessed the 

 scene would again declare that our canines are devoid of in- 

 telligence or reason. 



A m citation in Animals.— The Live Stock and Veterinary 

 journals are discussing the propriety of capital operations upon 

 animals. We see no reason why valuable stock who have 

 fractured or diseased limbs, may not. be preserved for breed- 

 ing purposes by amputations. The risks to he taken are 

 much less lhan in the human subject, and dogs, particularly, 

 recover from the shock of such operations with surprising 



facility. 



^.« — — — 



A Pi.noKY Dog.— The Georgetown Count is responsible for 

 the statement, that a bulldog fought an alligator upward of 

 il.. I. :i iii length, in the water of Sampit River, killing and 

 bringing his opponent to land. 



— •— . 



Dogs as Pbopbbty.— The NashmiUfi Rural Run will devote 

 a. column henceforth to "Dog, Gun and Game." In the issue 

 of .lime 14th wo find the following: 



PiCUJA, Ohio, May.';, 1877. 



Several months ago 1 wo •■-•■ \ >> the r',;mgo FieM a full ac- 

 count of :1 ftrialoi I istfa ■'-■ tnger- ioi the malicious 

 killing of the fa Qoi Ion - tier d ig pent. Kent is out 



i DgugaU's (Richmond, fad.) Flora, by E. F. Stodard's 



Dayton, O.J celebrated impoited dog Marr. Mr. Eastbnm 

 obtained a judgment, for slop through the Common Pleas 

 Court, Judge Meeker presiding, and rencraUy imdcr- 



-i ia1 the time that the matter was finally settled. But to 



tin- surprise of many Mr. Swinger carried I he suit, up to the 

 district court, and the testimony was gone over and I he argu- 

 ment of the attorneys was patiently listened toon the 7th inst. 

 by Judges Barlow, JSUott and Binges, and as might have been 



,),. icd the judgment of the Lower Court was co 



Mr Swinger's! xpense ., ill now Boot up to near £5QQ, and he 

 now threatens to 'take it to the Supreme Court. AH right; 

 the matter might as well he definitely settled by flaslhain and 

 Swinger as by any one cIsb. As I said in my former letter on 

 this subject, "Air. "East.ham said: "1 have jus: $1,000 laid by 



lo prosecute this suit with, far I am anxious to kno 



the sportsmen of Ohio have any right oi 



ter they have been returned to the assessor for tao 



far as this trial has gone we think they have, and 1 am in- 



to think that Mr. Swinger is of the same opinion. If 



.-; satisfied, another trial before the Supreme Court. 

 ..,.!, i confirmation of judgment, another hundred or Lwo 

 added to the bill, and he will be a convert to our side, of the 

 dr. Swinger has wealth, and it is a good thing he 

 tn stand it, for live hundred dollar dogs are expen- 

 sive; 

 The above, from the Chicago Field, is a test case as to 



whether dog i propert; und I lial i be >•■■■■ m 



ed therein, or -whether they are simply nothing, and to bo 



.' Il .i i.' . very fool who cole , ; [l :,_ I is iimpb, 



rous to suppose for a moment that a dog, in which may be in- 

 vested a thousand dollars in clean cash, is not property. If 



ihey are not property, then what constitutes property? If a 

 man is not lo be protected by the law in this, then why pro- 

 tect, him in his race-horse, his line sheep, or his call ii 

 dogs are worth money, and are very much thought o 

 owners, who resolve to see them protected. 



It is to be hoped that this matter will be carried to the high- 

 est courts, not only for the pecuniary punishment of the of- 

 fender, but that a legal precedence may be established from 

 which Ihere can be no appeal. 



'i'HB Dog F.\rniFr,i,. — Ttrtvcti CiU/,J\4y 5.— You make men- 

 tion in the last copyof your valuable paper of that dog in Wash- 

 ington who, in his protection of a helpless man hit .Tpoliceman 

 whom the dog thought, and perhaps with reason, was inter- 

 fering with no gOOd purpose. It seems the idiots shot the dog 

 afterward tor fear the --cop" miglii die with hydrophobia, it 

 fairly makes my blood boil when I think of such an outrage. 

 To slaughter that kind, intelligent animal (I'll wager he had 

 mere brains than the fools liiat made away with him) for 

 fear the bile might prove serious to the officer. Pshaw ! 

 Would the killing of the noble creature make any difference 

 with the after effect of the dentals in the man's system. 



To conic nearer home: On the dock here, an Irishman, last 

 week, prowling around at an Unseasonable hour, was bitten 

 (unfortunately hut slightly) by the Company's watch-dog, 

 and now nothing will persuade the son of Erin that he is not 

 hooked for convulsions and a hydrophobic taking oil' unless 

 I he dog is killed that the end or the dog by violent means will 

 prevent any tragic result to him. Is there anything more 

 ridiculous? As the company are not idiots, JHora lives, and 

 will siaud guard for a while Longer, and prove a source of in- 

 convenience to thehorde of nigh'l prowlers that infest OUT city 

 throughout its length and breadth. Jaooust.u-t. 



af- 



Dou I'ojso.NTEits. — Von G., of West Meriden, Conn., writes 



The account published on pagcS22, of Forest anii Stkkaji, ot a dog 

 poisoner being brought to court and lined lor Ins crime, remind* we 

 of an airair which was tried at Baden, Germany, a short time since. 

 A Scotchman living near offenborg, and a member of the hunting club 

 of that district, was for some reason expelled from the club, lie 

 swore he would have revenge, which was carried out iu a most cow- 

 ardly manner by poisoning a number of dogs belonging to the members 

 ot the club. His threats bad previously aroused suspicion, und ac- 

 cordingly he was arrested and brought to trial, where the evidence- 

 though circumstantial— was so strong that he confessed having com- 

 mitted the crime, expecting, of course, that as he was a man of means 

 his punishment would be merely a line. luthis he was sadly mistaken, 

 (or the Judge (a very Daniel) sontenced the accused to paj the full 

 value oi the dogs, ranging from two lo seven hundred dollars each, as 

 indemnity to the owner, and iu addition, as penalty for the crime com- 

 mitted, that he be eonllned for one year In the penitentiary, [sin- 

 cerely wish that the above case might, be viewed as a precedes! bj a. 1 ' 

 judgeB before whom dog poisoners may lie tried, and that the clogging 

 iiaiiiiu-!,-- nf justice, who look upon a $10 horse as property, hut not 

 recognizing a $5u0 (log; may be brought to a realizing sense ol their 

 incapacity, and endeavor, in an humble manner, to follow the bright 

 examples set, by the bench in the case mentioned in Forest and 

 STagAM, uud also that of Baden. 



- .♦. ^ __ 



Death Of Ji i.e. — Mr. Chas. A. Miles, of Brooklyn, has 

 been unfortunate with his dogs, losing Fred, aged t? mo.s., 

 (out. of Jnte by J. K. Milner's Jack) threa weeks since. On 

 Friday, June 28, Jule, 7 years old, died in accouchment. Of 

 rive pups by Robinson's Duke hut two are living, being under 

 o earn of a foster mother. 



laic's performances iu the field are too well known to need 

 eomineut, ; she was also winner of second prize in native Irish 

 sstter class at the X. Y. Bench Show. 1677. She was the 

 only bitch ever raised from Rodman's Emma, by Rodman's 

 years she gave birth to forty. one puppies, all 

 ■ now living being noted dogs. 



Dash. L 

 if which 



Humiliation. — A dog in Meriden, Conn., -was so disgusted 

 with his muzzle that he pawed it off and then buried it in the. 

 ground. 



— Boston is developing some extraordinary examples of 

 canine sagacity. The Traveller tells a story which is strictly 

 true: A mastiff in that city, unmuzzled bj his master, re- 

 solved to comply with the law ou bis own account. I le knew 

 that to preserve his life he must have a muzzle. Early one 

 morning he stole twenty newspapers from doorsteps, stood On 

 r i en mi and sold them, went with Hit money to a store where 

 muzzles were sold, made a clerk understand that he wished to 

 buy one, and lie fore noon went home muzzled according to 

 law. 



Villain' v. — At the late dog convention iu Syracuse it will 

 be remembered that Snipe, owned by it. M. Linslev, of Scran- 

 ton, Fa., took the oral prize in pointer class. Sunday night, 

 .Inly I. seine evil disposed pi rsem poisoned Snipe, by giving him 

 " doctored meat." Sportsmen will regret the death of this 

 really fine animal, and it is to be hoped the. miscreant, will be 

 brought to book. 



—J. H. Cauiil', of Windsor, Out., has lost his Maud, (Jar- 

 lowitz whelps. 



Name Claimed.— I claim the name " Brandy" for mv set- 

 ter pup, whelped March Hi. out of Belleck's Nellie II,by 

 Iiowiluey's Major. Full pedigree in Hon usdGuh of March 

 'if>. 1877.- Joii.-r S, Kelso, Ji;., SUmjord. July :J. 



I claim I be name of "Fed Rufus" for my Fed Irish Gor- 

 don pup, whelped April 30, color, deep red; no wj 



of Geo. B. Poyneer's red Irish Cordon Fan, by Arnold Bur- 

 gos' red Irish setter Kufus. J. ~F. GoNODOH, iL : Greyor,Iomi. 

 Cubtob, Iowa, July 2, iwr. 

 I claim the name of Red Kit for mv Irish clurdon lm.ch, out of Geo 

 ■ed Inch "Oor.Ojii fi-to-v Ian : she out of imported blaelc- 

 ■ i i i Hie, by imported red Irish Gordon iliir: sire, Arnold 

 Barges' champion red Irian Better Rains. 

 V.uirs, eta. (IEO. AT. Vajv \,.. 



._*»*_ 



fW-iCA, July 4, 1877, 

 1 see by my last paper that you have made an error la re-. 

 pointer dog Frank, Class 81, as I received a V". H. C\, and not, an II. c. 

 white badge. As he ia for sale, by making correction, you will oblige 

 an old subscriber. Very truly, C, K, WSKD, 



