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Show FIGHTING HYDROPHOBIA. A measure has been introduced in the Utah legislature to pay bounties for the destruction of predatory animals. Its advocates are urging it as a measure meas-ure which will aid in the extinction of the rabies epidemic which is causing such havoc among the livestock of certain cer-tain parts of the state and which is steadily spreading. Effective stops should bo taken to stamp out the dread and destructive epidemic, but the bounty system is absurd. ab-surd. - It was inadequate in Nevada, Ne-vada, where, however, a valuable substitute sub-stitute was found through the co-operation of the federal government. Hunters working under the bounty system hunt solely for their own profit. They derive their income from the scalps aud skins of the coyotes and other wild animals and usually release females from their traps, so that the animals will not be exterminated. Moreover, the bounty hunter stops his work as soon as the number of animals diminishes dimin-ishes to such an extent that hunting is no longer profitable. He quits just at the crucial point, for if rabies-bearing animals are to be exterminated there must be no let-up in the work of extinction ex-tinction until the final object is achieved. Utah should follow the example of Nevada in securing the co-operation of the federal government. The United States biological survey is anxious to assist in the work and has greatly helped Nevada in its drive against the animals which spread the hydrophobia epidemic among men and livestock. As a result of federal and state co-operation, a most effective system of exterminating extermi-nating coyotes and wildcats is in operation op-eration in Nevada. Hunters are employed em-ployed at Tegular salaries and each oue is assigned to a certain zone, where he operates until he has destroyed all the animals within the area of his operations. opera-tions. The - increasing number of cases of rabies infection brought to Salt Lake for Pasteur treatment show that the bvdTophobia epidemic is spreading. Those who are behind the battle line know how severe the battle is by the number of wounded returning from the front. Salt Lakers are be ginning to realize the extent of the hydrophobia epidemic in. the state aud are just as anxious as tho farmers and stock raiers to eliminate the disease, but proper methods, approved by the itate health officers and by the. experience expe-rience of other communities, should be adopted. Up to November 30. IfllO, about JS2.000 had been expended in Nevada. Of this amount the U. S. biological survey sur-vey had expended $.12,000 and the state of Xt-vada $30,000. The state board of stock commissioners and the et-ate board of sheep commissioners contributed 10.000 for the state's part of the work. The remaining ijO.OC'O was borrowed by the state aud the state board of examiners authorized the creation of a deficiency. The important point is that J Nevada has earnfl"f'y set about the work of wiping ont the epidemic and has adopted effective methods. In the latter part of September, lfl.". the U. S. biological survey sent Mr. K. E. Sans to Nevada to organize a corps of coyote hunters and direct their work. He established headquarters in Wim:e-mucca Wim:e-mucca and bciran operations immediately, immediate-ly, which he has vince prosecuted most earnestly, vigorously and intelligently. By October 1.", 91o, he had eighteen men in the field; June, 191C, his force consisted of 108 men; it was reduced about November 30 to eighty. As soon as winter abates somewhat he will aain .... increase his lorce. These men have hunted, trapped and poisoned coyotes and other predatory animals. They have turned in more than 1j,000 pelts of animals actually secured. They have distributed more than 300,000 poisoned baits. Naturallv. but few poisoned coyotes are secured, as they creep away to their hiding places as soon a.s the poison begins to operate. It is estimated that, from 43,-000 43,-000 to 50,001) coyotes have been killed since operations began, and that estimate esti-mate is probably too low. Among the other methods that should be adopted in a sparsely populated, range state, where tho raising of livestock live-stock is an important industry, the state should provide by legislation for the following measures: I 1. The legal authority for the quarantine quar-antine and control of domesticated rabies-spreading animals. 2. A laboratory for diagnosis. 3. The administration of the Pasteur Pas-teur treatment to its citizens who may bo exposed to rabies, at the expense of the state. 4. Competent officials in charge of the above service, who shall direct the eradication of rabies-spreading wild aui-mals aui-mals and collect all avaOa.blo pertinent information, with freedom from harassing harass-ing restrictions and the liability of conflict con-flict with other officials. . 5. Eradication of rabies-spreading animals upon an extensive scale. In this work the li S. biological survey will doubtlefs co-operate if asked and assured of official and financial co-operation. They are. inclined to help those states which will "help themselves." 6. A popular educational campaign. |