108 ANNTTAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



has existed as stated. Rabies has been proven not only in do^s but 

 also in cows, calves, sheep, swine and horses. Notwithstandinij,- 

 the very great prevalence of rabies that has been shown by investi- 

 gations carried ont during the past year, it is believed that the dis- 

 ease is not actually so prevalent as it was during the previous year; 

 the greater number of cases reported being due, to a large extent, 

 to a desire to obtain definite information in regard to diagnosis and 

 as a result of greater efforts to obtain such reports. 



The increased efforts that have been made to obtain reports of 

 outbreaks of rabies has been due to the passage of a law by the last 

 Legislature, which was approved by the Governor March 27, lOOo. 

 The text of the law follows: 



No. 80. 



AN ACT 



Section 1. Be it enacted, &c.. That whenever the disease known 

 as rabies, or hydrophobia, shall occur among the dogs or other ani- 

 mals, in any locality of Pennsylvania, and it is adjudged by the 

 State Live Stock Sanitary Board that the disease is spreading, or 

 is liable to be spread by dogs that have been exposed, the said 

 Board may order the quarantine, restraint, confinement, or muz- 

 zling of any or all dogs, within the limits of the locality in which 

 the danger of infection is deemed to exist. The authority hereby 

 conferred is not to annul or restrict the authority now possessed 

 by cities or boroughs to quarantine, restrain, confine, or muzzle 

 dogs, within the limits of their respective jurisdictions. 



Section 2. A quarantine, or order to restrain, confine or muzzle 

 dogs, shall be operative when it is approved by a majority of the 

 members of the State Live Stock Sanitary Board, and when a copy 

 of it has been left at the usual place of residence of the owner of 

 the dog that it is believed to have been exposed to rabies, or hydro- 

 phobia; or when the notice or order to quarantine, restrain, confine 

 or muzzle dogs, has been published in each of two papers in each of 

 the counties within which the regulation is established, and Avhen 

 printed notices, giving the text of the regulation or order, have been 

 posted in public places, in the locality in which the regulation or 

 order applies. 



Section 3. Should dogs be permitted to run at large, or to escape 

 from restraint or confinement, or to go Avithout muzzles, in violation 

 of the quarantine, or regulation, or order, established by the State 

 Live Stock Sanitary Board to restrict the spread of rabies, or hydro- 

 phobia, as provided by this act, such dogs may be secured and con- 

 fined, or they may be shot or otherwise destroyed, and the owner 

 or owners thereof shall have no claim against the person so doing. 



