No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 501 



no complaint that the horse has shown any signs of rabies, 

 it is more than probable that this was not a case of 

 hydrophobia. 



October 24 the head of a dog was sent from Brookline ; 

 inoculation tests gave negative results. 



November 13 the head of a bull terrier was sent from 

 Swampscott, supposed to have been rabid ; inoculation tests 

 at date of writing negative. Two pigs bitten by him are 

 still in quarantine. 



November 27 the head of an ownerless dog was sent from 

 Salem by the board of health, having been shot by a police- 

 man, on suspicion of having rabies ; results of inoculating 

 rabbits are still negative. 



From this report it will be seen that there has not been a 

 positive case of rabies reported to the Massachusetts Cattle 

 Commission since last March, — at least, not a case has been 

 reported since then that has been proved to have been rabies. 

 The few suspected cases since have been negative, so far as 

 this Board has been able to ascertain. 



In Lynn two and three years ago cases of rabies among 

 dogs were frequent, and there had not been a time for a 

 number of years when an occasional outbreak did not occur. 

 Many dogs and some people were bitten, entailing quite an 

 expense upon the latter for the Pasteur preventive treatment, 

 which they had to go to New York to receive ; and the loss of 

 at least one life, — that of a police officer who did not real- 

 ize the danger from the bite of a stray dog until too late. 



There has not been a positive case of rabies in Lynn, so far 

 as is known, since July, 1898 ; in the contiguous town of 

 Swampscott there has not been a positive case since June of 

 the same year; and in Salem, which adjoins Swampscott, 

 there has not been a positive case, so far as this Board is 

 aware, since February, 1898. This result seems to have 

 been attained by the co-operation of the boards of health and 

 inspectors of animals with the Cattle Commissioners, the 

 efforts of the local authorities being especially commendable 

 in Lynn and Swampscott. It shows what can be done if 

 the matter is taken hold of in earnest. In these places sus- 

 picious cases have been at once reported to the Cattle Com- 

 mission, and the heads of the dogs which have died or been 



