in some of the large cities to secure an improved condition of the producing dairies, both as to the health of the animals, and the conditions under which they are kept.

Meat inspection. An act of the 51st congress of the United States, dated August 30, 1890, ch. 839, provides for an inspection of meats for exportation, and prohibits the importation of certain adulterated articles of food. Its principal provisions are the following:

The inspection of salted pork and bacon intended for export, to determine whether it is wholesome, sound, and fit for human food.

Inspection to be made where the meat is packed.

Adulterated food and drugs and liquors injurious to health prohibited, and suspension of imports may be proclaimed by president.

Unjust discrimination of foreign states provided against. Importation of diseased cattle prohibited; quarantine and slaughter of infected animals provided for.

Live animals for export to be inspected, and the diseased not allowed to go out of the country.

A later act of the same congress passed March 3, 1891, also provides for the inspection of cattle intended for export, and of those whose meat is to be exported; it also provides for inspection before slaughter, of animals intended for interstate commerce. Post mortems are also provided for.

Penalties are also imposed for forging or counterfeiting marks and tags.

The transport of unsound carcasses is forbidden.

The provisions of this law are not to apply to animals killed on the farm.

The appointment of inspectors is provided for.

PUBLIC WATER-SUPPLIES

In no department of public hygiene has more rapid progress been made, in the United States, than in the introduction of public water-supplies in cities and towns.

In the last century (the 18th) very few municipalities had taken any action toward introducing supplies of pure water for the use of the inhabitants, private wells, springs and cisterns for collecting the rainfall being the principal sources of supply. The whole number of towns supplied before 1800 was 16, of which number, I was in New Hampshire, 5 in Massachusetts, I in Rhode Island, 2 in Connecticut, 3 in New York, I in New Jersey, 1 in Pennsylvania and 2 in Virginia.

None had been introduced in states south of Virginia or west of Pennsylvania. All of these 16 supplies furnished water to towns containing less than 150,000 inhabitants, or about 2.8% of the existing population at the beginning of the century.

The dotted line (1896-1900) indicates the probable increase to the close of the century.

In 1850, 50 years later, only 83 public water-supplies had been introduced, supplying cities having a population of about 2,450,000, or 10.6% of the total by the census enumeration of that year. In 1860 the population supplied was only 13% of the total, in 1870, 17%, and in 1880 it was 11,809,000, or 23.5%. In 1890 the total number of supplies had increased to 2074, and the population supplied was 22,470,000, or