502 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



killed have been sent to the laboratory, in order to decide 

 whether the suspected animal was or was not rabid. Ex- 

 posed dogs have been quarantined for ninety days, and there 

 has been a vigorous attempt to enforce the dog-license law, 

 resulting in the destruction of ownerless and stray dogs. In 

 Lynn and Swampscott a dog-muzzling order was also adopted 

 during a portion of the spring and summer of 1898. 



The quarantine regulations carried out in other localities 

 where rabies has appeared seem to have had the desired 

 effect of checking the spread of the disease. As there has 

 not been a positive case reported since last March (unless 

 the one in Lowell in April is considered positive : this was 

 not verified), it is to be hoped that this dangerous disorder 

 is under control, and that it may be kept so. In order to do 

 this, the dog-license law should be thoroughly enforced in 

 every city and town, so that every dog will have a respon- 

 sible owner interested in its welfare, and that this will 

 lead to the annual destruction of all ownerless or valueless 

 dogs. 



When a case of suspected rabies does occur, it should be 

 at once reported to the Cattle Commission, and the dog iso- 

 lated ; or, if it dies, the head should at once be sent, in as 

 fresh and clean a condition as possible, to the Board for ex- 

 amination. If a person is bitten, the result can be ascer- 

 tained in time to inform any one whether the case is positive 

 and it is necessary to take the Pasteur preventive treatment, 

 or whether there is no danger, if the fresh head is sent at 

 once and in good condition. 



The bungling methods of police authorities in many cities 

 and towns is very reprehensible, where dogs are shot and 

 called mad without reporting the cases to the Cattle Commis- 

 sion, as required by law, which would take pains to ascertain 

 whether the case is rabies or not, and, if it proves to be so, 

 will order the adoption of necessary precautions ; or, on the 

 other hand, the police sometimes allow a strange, peculiar- 

 acting dog to go at large without any interference on their 

 part until it has done some actual damage. The case already 

 cited as occurring in Melrose is a good example of the kind, 

 where the carelessness and i«:norance of the law and their 

 duties on the part of the police led to serious results. 



