RABIES AND HYDROPHOBIA. 
679 
THE PREVENTION OF RABIES. 
Admitting that there is such a disease as rabies, admitting 
its frequency, admitting that it is communicable to man, what 
measures are indicated for its repression and eradication ? The 
measures generally adopted have for their object the reduction 
of the canine population rather than any direct influence for the 
destruction of the virus or the prevention of contagion. Such 
measures consist in the levying of a tax upon dogs, with a re¬ 
quirement that the dogs wear a numbered tag to show that the 
tax has been paid. To prevent violations of this regulation, it 
is usual to have a dog-catching force whose duty it is to seize 
all dogs found in public places without tags, and if these are 
not redeemed within a specified time, to destroy them. 
The effect of such a regulation depends very much upon 
the amount of the tax and the energy and thoroughness with 
which the measure is enforced. Usually the requirements of 
this law or ordinance are evaded by a large number of dog 
owners, and it is common to see on the streets dogs without tags. 
There is seldom an adequate force of dog catchers, and the sym¬ 
pathies of many communities appear to be with those who violate 
the law rather than with those who endeavor to enforce it. 
When there is an unusual prevalence of rabies among dogs, 
or when unfortunately some person contracts the disease, partic¬ 
ularly if that person happens to be well known or prominent in 
the community, there may be a temporary exhibition of strict 
and energetic enforcement of the regulations. But as soon as 
the public alarm subsides, the efforts are relaxed, the dog- 
catcher disappears, the dogs are seen upon the streets with or 
without tags, and all things go on as before the panic occurred. 
While the number of dogs is thus periodically reduced some¬ 
what, it is seldom that this reduction is sufficient to have much 
effect upon tire propagation of the disease. It is probable that 
the tendency at such times to keep dogs confined in order to 
prevent them from being seized, has much more influence in 
arresting the propagation of rabies than has the mere reduction 
in numbers. 
