Science: Beware of Bats

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After the first safety precautions, more careful tests were needed. This summer Dr. Constantine and his crew moved coyotes, grey foxes, silver foxes, striped skunks, spotted skunks, raccoons, dogs, cats, ringtail cats and opossums into Lava Cave in New Mexico. Some of the animals were in simple wire cages, exposed to bats, their excreta and their parasites. Other test animals were protected, some of them guarded against everything but the foul air of the cave. They were brought out again after a month. Thus far all ten coyotes and all ten foxes have died after exhibiting the dreadful symptoms of rabies, and the rabies virus has been found in their brains. Even the noxious air of a bat cave seems to transmit the disease. And scientists have begun to theorize that bats may be the ultimate source of unexplained outbreaks of rabies that appear among wild animals and may spread to domestic animals and to man. Dr. Constantine is particularly worried about cave-visiting tourists and other spelunkers. Says he: "It seems evident that an emphatic warning for persons to avoid densely populated bat caves is indicated at this time."

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