John W Brown writes about rabies on Tooting Bec Common (the manor of Streatham and Tooting Bec)
In 1780 an outbreak of rabies generated much concern, especially the possibilty that diseased dogs could run wild on the common. To prevent this the Streatham vestry ordered On This Day 20th Julythat the parish beadle
"do immediately give notice by common crying in ye most publik places of y parish that if any dog be found at large in ye said parish within one month from ye date herof, he will be immediately destroyed"
The Beadle was to receive a reward of 2s 6d for every dog he destroyed and the parish indemnified him against lawsuit that may be made against him by the owners of the dogs he killed
The book is available to purchase https://www.streathamsociety.org.uk/histories.html
