Rabies Nearing Epidemic Stage in Sampson County; Dogs Must be Vaccinated, March 18, 1926

Rabies Nearing Epidemic Stage. . . County Health Board Expected to Order All Dogs Vaccinated to Prevent Spread

So alarming has the spread of rabies among the animals of Sampson county that it is now planned to have all dogs in the county made subject to vaccination, according to Dr. E.T. Hollingsworth, county health officer. Many mad dogs have been killed in the past few weeks, and several persons area suffering from contact with the animals.

“Five people who have been bitten by dogs diseased with rabies are being treated over the county at this time,” said the doctor Tuesday afternoon. According to the doctor, seven heads have been sent to the state laboratory in Raleigh for examination in the last few days, and following the examination the officials of the laboratory reported that six of these were diseased with rabies. One was a cat that was killed at the convict camp.

“This epidemic is becoming a menace to the town and county,” said Dr. Hollingsworth, “and I am contemplating on asking the board of health at their quarterly meeting the first Monday in April to enact a law whereby the vaccination of all dogs in the county will be made compulsory.”

Speaking further in regard to this epidemic among the dogs of the county, the doctor said “It is a much dreaded disease and one that has to be handled promptly. Wake and Cumberland counties have already adopted this law of compulsory vaccination and now is the time for Sampson to realize the necessity of it and put it across legally.”

Speaking in regard to the citizens of the county that might possibly object to the vaccination of their dogs, the doctor stated that they should appear before the county board of health at their quarterly meeting and offer their protests. Dr. Hollingsworth is confident that the board of health will enact this law of compulsory vaccination at their meeting and after this date all citizens of the county owning dogs should have them at their homes for the vaccination when the schedule throughout the county is published.

From the front page of The Sampson Independent, Clinton, N.C., March 18, 1926

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