Rabid Bat

Re “Discovery of Rabid Bat Raises Officials’ Concerns,” April 29.

[Martha] Willman missed a golden opportunity to point out the single most important aspect of this case--that rabies is an inevitably fatal encephalitis and a truly hideous way to die. We’re not talking about a nuisance like the common cold here.

I have observed in my practice that the public is woefully uninformed / misinformed about this rare disease. They will remain so, unfortunately, unless the press does its part by presenting all the relevant facts in addition to quoting sources. This father would probably never have behaved so rashly if he had been well-informed and recognized that his actions, or lack thereof, posed a very real threat to human life.

GAYLE A. ROBISON, DVM, Woodland Hills