No. 4.] REPORT OF CATTLE BUREAU. 205 



Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 



Cattle Bureau of the State Board of Agriculture, 



State House, Boston, May 1, 1907. 



To the Mayors and Aldermen of Cities, Selectmen of Towns, Boards 

 of Health, Physicians, Veterinarians, Inspectors of Animals 

 and Others whom it may concern. 

 Owing to the alarming prevalence of rabies, you are hereby noti- 

 fied to strictly adhere to the following rules in dealing with sus- 

 pected cases of this disease : — 



1. Dogs should not be killed. 

 If a person has been bitten by a dog, and desires to ascertain 

 whether or not it is rabid, do not kill the dog (unless his extreme 

 violence absolutely necessitates it), but conline him, so that he 

 cannot possibly escape (in a box stall, or room, for example). Give 

 him food and water, and notify the Cattle Bureau immediately. 

 Keep confined for ten days. If during this period of time no 

 symptoms of rabies appear in the animal, there is no danger of the 

 one bitten having been infected; but should characteristic symptoms 

 develop, the person bitten should begin the Pasteur preventive 

 treatment at once. On the contrary, if the dog is killed before 

 symptoms of rabies are evident, the microscopic examination may 

 prove negative or doubtful, and inoculations must be made to prove 

 the existence or nonexistence of rabies. It may take several weeks 

 or months before the result of such inoculations is known; thus 

 much valuable time is lost, and persons bitten must remain in 

 anxious doubt. 



2. Bites. 

 Bites of dogs or other animals suspected of being rabid should 

 be treated as soon as possible with strong, fuming nitric acid. The 

 best way to apply the acid is with a capillary glass pipette, which 

 should be inserted to the bottom of all wounds. (If no pipette is at 

 hand, use a wooden toothpick.) In case of severe wounds upon 

 the head or face, it is well to etherize the patient, that the acid may 

 be applied with the utmost thoroughness and care. Experiments 

 have demonstrated that no other cauterization, not even actual 

 cautery, is as efficacious as nitric acid. It causes no serious local 

 injury, and should be applied even if a day has elapsed since the 

 bite was inflicted. 



3. Destruction of Supposed Rabid Animals. 

 Do not shoot an animal in the head with a shot-gun at close 

 range. By so doing the brain will undoubtedly be ruined, and a 

 careful microscopic examination cannot be made. Moreover, a 



