214 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The inspector of animals for the town of Edgartown, in his 

 annual report of inspection of premises and farm animals for 

 1907, states that 73 sheep in that town were killed by dogs 

 dii ring* the year. 



Every dog owner ought to feel the responsibility resting 

 upon him for the good behavior of his canines ; and a system 

 of dog management that ruins the sheep industry in the older 

 and more thickly populated portions of the country, and 

 allows this privileged species of domestic animal to prowl 

 around destroying human life and other domestic animals and 

 fowls, should be brought to a speedy termination. 



At the time of making the report a year ago, the propo- 

 sition for an increase in the dog tax awakened a great deal of 

 hostility among dog fanciers, and led to a great deal of oppo- 

 sition among certain ignorant and unthinking people to the 

 efforts of the Chief of the Cattle Bureau for the suppression 

 of rabies ; but to offset this opposition there was the magnifi- 

 cent support given him by people who realize the dangers 

 from the disease and the importance of preventing its ravages. 

 The medical profession as a whole endorsed the work of the 

 Chief of the Cattle Bureau ; the Boston Society for Medical 

 Improvement, the Boston Medical Library Meeting held 

 under the auspices of the Suffolk Branch of the Massachu- 

 setts Medical Society, the ".Norfolk Branch of the Massachu- 

 setts Medical Society, and the Hampshire County Medical 

 Society, all passed resolutions endorsing the work. The 

 thanks of the nnpreju diced members of the community are 

 due to the medical profession for the encouragement and 

 support given the State authority during a most trying ex- 

 perience. 



Glanders. 



The number of cases of glanders and farcy in Massachu- 

 setts shows a decided increase over the previous year, the 

 total number of horses and mules that have been killed or 

 died with this disease during the year ending November 30 

 being 711, as compared with 570 for the year previous. 



At first glance it Avould appear that there had been an 

 alarming increase in the State, but in reality the increase of 

 the number of cases within the jurisdiction of the Cattle 



