ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 10 



bird. These Junior classes celebrated their organization by sending through 

 the secretary of the Club, an affectionate letter of birthday greeting to 

 John Burroughs. The Club furnished the Juniors with study leaflets and 

 encouraged their organization under the Junior plan supported by the 

 National Audubon Society. 



In May the Club began to give "special attention" to the cat, and an 

 ordinance declaring stray cats a nuisance and providing for the restraint 

 of cats between the hours of 7 :00 p. m. and 9:00 a. m. from April 1st to 

 September 30th both inclusive was prepared. This ordinance met with the 

 unanimous approval of the Village Board. Because of the special interest 

 in the matter, the President of the Village Board, Mr. H. W. Tolsted, 

 wrote Dr. C. St. Clair Drake, Secretarv of the State Board of Health, a 

 letter from which the following quotation is made : 



"It is gratifying to note the splendid work which the State Board of 

 Health is doing in its efforts and determination to check and minimize the 

 spread of contagious disease. Practically every issue of the monthly bulletin. 

 "Illinois Health News," takes up some line of this most important matter, 

 and the State Board of Health is certainly deserving of the highest praise 

 for this work. 



"But may I be permitted to suggest that what I believe to be one 

 prolific source of spreading contagion has not thus far been touched upon, 

 namely the domestic cat. These animals often prowl about all night, 

 getting into all sorts of places and rubbish, and during the daytime they 

 become the pets of little children to be hugged and kissed. 



"I understand that very often these cats are tubercular or otherwise dis- 

 eased. If my understanding is correct, wouldn't it be well to devote some 

 attention to the subject in an early number of the Illinois Health News?" 



To this Dr. Drake replied as follows : 



Springfield, June 30, 1917. 



Hon. Henry W. Tolsted. Village President, 

 Maywood, Illinois. 

 Dear Sir : Your suggestion as to the role in disease of domestic animals, 

 especially cats, is worthy of the most careful consideration. 



We have referred it to our expert in tuberculosis for special attention. 



Yours very truly, 

 (Signed) C. St. Clair Drake, M.D., Secretary. 



The Club wrote Dr. W. A. Evans for his views as to the spread of 

 contagion by cats, and his reply, occupying about a column of space, ap- 

 peared in the Chicago Tribune of August 14th. The Doctor had little to 

 say in favor of cats. On the contrary, he charged them with spreading tape- 

 worm, and other forms of parasites, and claimed they were in part respon- 

 sible for the spread of hydrophobia. He quoted authorities to show that 

 cats spread something akin to human diphtheria and often infect persons 

 with whom they come in contact. 



"The ordinance was passed by the village board on June 14, 1917, becom- 

 ing effective on and after July 2. It immediately encountered opposition. 



