ANONYMOUS BITES.
FROM the subjoined report we learn, that it is desirable to have names to the bites of dogs ; and also that when a, man is bitten by a dog which he fears to be mad, the best mode of proceeding is to destroy the dog, and thus for ever to deprive the bitten person of the opportunity of ascertaining whether the dog was really mad or not. Such is the wisdom of the City Magistracy. For our I own parts, we are inclined to believe, that in ninety-nine bites out Of a hundred, the apprehension is the greatest evil; and we see not how the apprehension is abated by destroying the creature, 'whose condition, according to popular opinion, would be a test of the danger. The course of prejudice is finely exemplified in the conclusion of the report, where, from his rage against mad dogs, the Lord Mayor is induced to recommend poison for dogs that are not mad, and which merely make a noise !
"Accounts of bites from dogs are daily brought to the Justice-room. Yesterday, one of the parish officers waited upon the Lord Mayor, and in- formed him that several persons had lately been bitten by truck dogs, which started suddenly from beneath the trucks and fastened their teeth in the passengers. He requested to know whether his Lordship could not oblige the owners of trucks to have their names and addresses painted on the truck, in order that they might be made responsible for any mischief com- mitted by their dogs ? "The Lord Mayor—` I would have you not to be over nice on the sub- ject at all. If you have the least suspicion that a dog is mad, kill it. I shall be answerable for the consequences. I wish it to be known as publicly as possible, and do not care a pin who is the owner. The accounts I receive are dreadful, and I know of only one way of checking so horrible an evil.' "The Officer= But the officers do not like to go to those truck dogs, they are so savage, and they snap at every body.'
"The Lord Mayor—' I shall inquire whether we cannot compel the owners to abate the evil. In the mean time, I would have the officers destroy all the dogs they suspect of madness.' "A person told the Lord Mayor that he and his family were kept awake all night by the noise of dogs that were locked up behind his premises.
"The Lord Mayor= Poison them by all means.' His Lordship repeated his directions to the officers to destroy all dogs that wandered about un- muzzled, without masters."
Mr. Alderman Woon has obtained leave to bring in "a bill to prevent the spread of canine madness :" we wish some one would move an omnipotent Parliament to pass an act for the suppres- sion of Aldermanic folly. The police ought to be charged with the duty of protecting the public against danger from stray or sus- pected dogs ; and very simple directions would suffice for that pur- pose, without encouraging a panic which is likely to work on weak nerves the worst evils apprehended.
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