"Cat Influenza"

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 71, 24 March 1934, Page 9

"Cat Influenza"

How a young woman wore herself into a state of exhaustion nursing ten cats suffering .from influenza was revealed at Nottingham, when she asked for help recently at the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, states an exchange.

An assistant who went to the address given found a woman of about 80 with ten cats in an advanced stage of illness. All the animals had to be destroyed. : .

Mr. H. E. Balton, superintendent of the dispensary, stated that the woman had kept nine cats, all strays, to which she was devoted, and *she lived with them and her young woman companion in a room about 10ft by 12ft. "Eecently," he said, "she gave shelter to

another homeless cat, which apparently was suffering from influenza, because within twenty-four hours all the other animals had been affected.

"Our official found the cats wrapped in flannel jackets and mufflers. >The only humane thing was to .put ;them out of their misery. The young woman who had.been looking after them all ;the weekend was in. a st*te of «)x----haustion. ■■•..■-.,

■The; elder woman afterwards called at the : dispensary for a last glimpse of the ten bodies. She addressed each cat by; name, and caressed it before she left. -..■-.. . •'

■After, detailed study of a, thousand cases; Dr. Frank N. "Walker, of Toronto, reported, to the Eugenics' Society of Canada his conclusion that parents with eyes of similar colour have the healthiest children* " i