292 BOARD OF AGRICULTUKE. [Pub. Doc. 



twenty copies of the following notice are sent to the local 

 inspector, to be posted in public places in various parts of 

 the town, the inspector's name being printed upon the lower 

 left-hand corner : — 



Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 

 Cattle Bureau of the State Board of Agriculture. 



Notice. 



A mimber of cases of rabies liave occurred recently among 

 dogs in several towns in the State, and it seems quite probable 

 that cases may occur in this town. It is the duty of every one, 

 therefore, to co-operate with the State and local authorities in 

 doing everything possible toward the suppression of this disease. 



In towns Avhere rabies exists, the selectmen have the necessary 

 authority to order all dogs running at large to be muzzled, under 

 section 158 of chapter 102 of the Revised Laws. A muzzling 

 order should recprire dogs to be properly and efficiently muzzled 

 for at least sixty days, — - ninety days would be better. 



All persons are cautioned against the danger of attempting 

 to pet or fondle strange dogs. 



Any person noticing a dog acting in a peculiar or unusual 

 manner should at once notify the local inspector of animals. 



If a dog should bite any one, it is unwise to immediately 

 destroy it, if it can be secured without its doing further harm, 

 as a dog suspected of having rabies should be securely chained or 

 shut up in a box stall for a few days, where it can be observed. 

 Tying with a roj)e is unsafe, as the dog might gnaw the rope in 

 two and escape. If the dog remains well, it is certain that it 

 is not rabid, and the person bitten need have no cause for alarm. 

 Jf the dog should die, or is killed on suspicion of having rabies, 

 the head should be sent to the Chief of the Cattle Bureau of the 

 State Board of Agriculture, who will have it examined in order 

 to ascertain whether it had rabies or not. If there should be 

 good grounds for suspecting that a dog so exannned had rabies, 

 and it had bitten any one, a report will be made to the person 

 bitten, or the attending physician, in order that the injured 

 jierson can go to New York for the anti-rabic treatment fur- 

 nished by the New York City board of lu'alth, if the patient 

 desires to do so. If :i (h)g suspected of having rabies is to be 

 killed, it is preferable to have it chloroformed whenpossibl(\ as 

 shooting injures the brain so as to render it of less value for 

 examination. 



