No. 4] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 547 



three months of the year ; since then, fewer cases have been 

 heard of. It is, therefore, to he hoped that those reported 

 early in the season were among the last of the outbreak men- 

 tioned in our annual report of 1897 as beginning in Decem- 

 ber, 1895; that it has now commenced to rapidly diminish 

 in frequency ; and that there will soon be no more occur- 

 rences of this malady in Massachusetts for several years, — 

 when, if history repeats itself, as it does, as a rule, there 

 will again be two or three years when this troublesome dis- 

 order will reappear. 



Late in January, two cases were reported from Waltham, 

 one of which, it was afterward ascertained, had run from 

 Salem and was later found dead in Auburndale. The other 

 dog's origin was unknown ; but, as both seemed to have 

 been dangerous, the following letter was sent to the boards 

 of health of the towns through which the Salem dog may 

 have run between that city and Auburndale, where he was 

 found dead : — 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Board of Cattle Commissioners, 

 Commonwealth Building, Boston, Feb. 17, 1897. 



To the Board of Health. 



Gentlemen : — A dog belonging to Mr. E. S. Little of Salem 

 bit Mrs, Little January 26, and then ran away, appearing in 

 Waltham January 27, showing symptoms of rabies and biting 

 several people, and probably dogs also. A few days later his 

 body was found in Auburndale, evidently having died a few days 

 before. Rabbits inoculated from him died of septicaemia, as he 

 was slightly decomposed, but he was undoubtedly rabid. His 

 course was undoubtedly a pretty direct line between Salem and 

 Waltham, and he may have done some damage on his route. 



Another dog known to have been rabid, whose origin is un- 

 known, was killed in Waltham about January 20, after having 

 bitten a man. 



As there seems to be some danger from rabies as the result of 

 these two cases, we consider it our duty to report the matter to 

 you, in order that you may notify the police of your town to re- 

 port to you any dogs that may be suspicious, and, if the circum- 

 stances seem to warrant it, to order dogs in your town muzzled. 

 Yours respectfully, Austin Peteks, 



Chairman. 



