“ (Besides the dogs always have to be kept clean ;
therefore they have to be bathed, brushed or combed often ,
their kennels and throughs have to be cleaned) ”

(Directions to the Inhabitants of the Towns and the Country regarding the restriction of dog-ownership and the prevention of the danger to be afraid of rabid dogs. Repeating the mandate of April 2, 1796, along with the accompanying annexes “Causes of the Hydrophobia of the Dogs and the Symptoms of such Rabies” and “Instruction How one has to behave in Case of a Bite of Rabid Dogs and How one can take Precaution against the Sad After-Effects”). (Dresden) 1797. Sm.-4to (20.5 x 17 cm). 24 pp. Stitched.

File number “Nom: 24” by old hand on title. The latter browned, a little dirty and with a small inconspicuous worm-gallery quite minimally touching also the following leaf.

recapitulating the regulations of the mandate of April 2, 1796 which actualized that of September 7, 1782 in partially changed order

in  sentences  as  short  as  pregnant .

Beginning with the order “not to keep any useless and unnecessary dogs”. Especially not by the “poor who are supported by the local handout-office without special permission by the authority, and then not more than one dog in one family”.

Dogs running about without muzzle have to be catched at night generally, otherwise as required, but not under twice a year, and are redeemable for eight – in case of their capture by the night-watchman 16 – ten-pfennig pieces, irrespective of additional punishment. Peasants, coachmen, slaughters and others have to chain up their dogs under the car if they must take them along coming to town. And in town and country generally no dog is permitted to run round freely, but to be chained up, supplied with a so-called muzzle or lead by ropes. If a rabid dog is known all others have to be locked in till the danger is over.

As diagnosed as being worthless and therefore no longer mentioned here as in the mandate above the former liability to cut the so-called mad-worm. On the contrary now

–  and  that  is  the  introduction  of  the  precautionary  quarantine  –

“ Anybody has to make himself acquainted (with the symptoms described in annex I), to observe his dogs constantly, and to lock them in at once if he feels symptoms how vague ever they may be, also if the surmise is confirmed to have them killed and burrowed immediately. ”

And  upon  the  quarantine  follows  the  complete  hygiene :

“ No killed rabid dog, or the animals bitten by it, may be handled with bare hands, nor, on penalty of 5 Taler, thrown into a river, creek, or other water, but has to be burrowed two yards under ground and to be covered with lime

with  all  by  which  one  has  touched  those  animals . ”

“ All garments, beds, resting-place, and other tools a sick person bitten by a rabid dog and really befallen by the rabies has used, likewise the articles of clothing a rabid dog has touched even if it did not bite the attacked person shall be burned up or burrowed 2 yards under ground with the precaution ordered in chapter 9. ”

Of outstanding interest furthermore the 5½-page detailed description on the causes of hydrophobia, compared with the decree of 1782 enriched by new aspects and nearly doubled in size, and here, freed of some absurdities, especially the

10-page  instruction  on  the  treatment  of  a  bitten  person

with all details to clean the wound, hygiene, rest, temperature, food – elder-bloom-tea – and animating care, but not without consultation of a physician or – at least – a qualified bather at the earliest. Compared to the edict of 1782 additionally also

But in such a way not just showing exemplary the transfer of chancellery’s law into everyday life, but

a  medical  and  hygiene-historic  example  of  first  rank .

And here additionally attractive as the

string-version  to  hang  out .

Offer no. 13,083 / EUR  345. / export price EUR  328. (c. US$ 457.) + shipping

„ Greetings from your Italian friend and Beethoven collector … Please inform me … “

(Sign. L. B., December 10, 2005)