No. 4.] REPORT OF CATTLE BUREAU. 229 



risk. Undoubtedly some of these dogs would have devel- 

 oi)ed trouble later if they had not been killed. 



The heads of some cattle and horses have been examined, 

 in order to help the owners to prove their claims for damages 

 from the county dog funds, in instances where any question 

 arose as to whether the animal in question died from rabies 

 or not. Other cases recorded were so clear that a micro- 

 scopic examination was unnecessary. 



In the case of the boy spoken of above, no Negri bodies 

 could be found in the brain ; it was therefore necessary to 

 inoculate guinea pigs,' which in time developed unmistakable 

 symptoms of rallies, thus furnishing conclusive proof of the 

 cause of the l)oy's death. 



The boy in question lived in Springfield, and was bitten 

 by a neighbor's dog about the first of May. The dog was 

 later taken to the hospital of a veterinarian in the vicinity, 

 who di'd not suspect that the animal had rabies, but called 

 the dog's disease "brain fever;" finally, it died without a 

 correct diagnosis being made. 



The boy was taken ill June 24, and died July 4 with 

 symptoms of brain trouble, which was attributed variously 

 to possible rabies, or to a blow on the head with a ball while 

 playing base ])all. The brain was secured by an agent of 

 the Cattle Bureau, and brought to the Harvard Medical 

 School, where Dr. Frothingham's examination decided the 

 matter. If the dog which bit the boy had been seen by a 

 competent man, the poor little fellow might have been saved 

 by the Pasteur anti-rabic treatment, and thus spared the 

 agony of a horrible death. 



In addition to this case, there have been at least a half a 

 dozen other deaths among hiniian beings in Massachusetts 

 during the past year as the result of the bites of rabid dogs, 

 to say nothing of the expense, worry and loss of time in- 

 volved for the large numljcr of persons who have had to 

 take the Pasteur treatment in order to prevent the develop- 

 ment of this disease. 



If the })ersons who have sufi"ered and died, those who have 

 had to take the Pasteui' treatment, and th(Mr anxious and 

 atllicted families and friends, could have tlieir way, this out- 



