If, therefore, you will have the kindness to reply to the questions in the said circular, according to the best knowledge you have been able to obtain, and forward in the enclosed stamped envelope, you will favor one of the most important interests of the State, and greatly oblige,

Yours truly,

CHAS. H. FISHER,

Sec. State Board of Health.

P. S. In the replies on the blank circular of questions, in relation to the extent or degree of prevalence of any disease, the following signs may be used: The star (*) preceding the name of any disease will indicate an epidemic prevalence; the sign plus (+), a large prevalence; and the sign equals (—), a moderate prevalence.

To Health Officers who are not physicians, it may be said that the term epidemic, within the meaning of the questions proposed, is the prevalence of some disease to the extent of one or more persons affected with the disease to every five or six persons living in adjacent tenements or in the near neighborhood, or a smaller proportion, not less than one case of the disease in every ten or twelve of the population, extending over a large area of territory. One sick in every twelve to sixteen persons might be called a large prevalence, and one sick in every twenty to twenty-five, a moderate prevalence. The number of cases of any one disease may have to be estimated, but make them as nearly correct as possible.

C. H. F.

CIRCULAR No. 107.

DEAR SIR-Replies to the following questions, as suggested in the accompanying circular, (No. 106), are respectfully solicited; said replies to be made on this circular, following each question :

1. Name of Town.

2. Name of Health Officer.

3. Have there been, within your knowledge, any epidemics, or any large prevalence of contagious or infectious diseases in your town during 1889 ? If so, of what disease or diseases? in what locality or localities? how many of each disease?* and in what months of the year?

* According to the best knowledge obtainable.

Diseases.

Locality.

No. of Cases. No. of Deaths.

Months in which they occurred.

4. Was isolation maintained or attempted ? *

5. What proportion of the sick, if any, were isolated?

6. Was any inspection of premises made, where sickness prevailed, as to the sanitary condition of the cellars, pantries, sinks, sink drains, water-closets, if any, cesspools, out-house privies, distance of wells from accumulations of filth, etc., etc.? If so, please give a general statement as to whether they were sanitarily in conditions, good or bad, or if any thing or place was unusually unsanitary, give a full description. Or if the cause of any outbreak of disease was found, please state what?

7. Did you make any sanitary inspections during 1889, by order of the town council or from your own option? If so, what were they and how made?

8. Do you know of any location in your town that seems to be particularly unhealthy to any considerable number of persons? If so, and the cause is suspected, can such cause be removed at any reasonable expense ?

9. Do you report to your town council nuisances dangerous to the public health, or unsanitary premises within your knowledge; or of buildings unsafe for occupants in case of fire? (See Chapter 495, Section 6, Public Laws.)

10. Have you knowledge that any serious disease of domestic animals has largely prevailed in your town during the year? If so, what disease or diseases, and in what locality?

Have you a copy of the "Manual for the Health Officers of Rhode Island" at hand? If not, one will be forwarded immediately, or more, if desired.

According to the best knowledge obtainable,

REPLIES OF HEALTH OFFICERS.

BRISTOL COUNTY.

1. BRISTOL.

2. Health Officer, George H. Peck.

3. There has been some prevalence of the following contagious or infectious diseases in town during 1889 :

Typhoid fever; scattered; 10 cases; 1 death; February, 2; July, 1; August, 3; September, 2; November, 1; December, 1. Scarlatina; suburbs; 8 cases; no deaths; January, 5; February, 1; October, 2. Scarlet fever; compact part of town; 10 cases; no deaths; January, 8; March, 1; April, 1. Diphtheria; compact part of town; 1 case; July. Measles; compact part of town; 1 case; September. Chicken pox; compact part of town; 1 case; April. None of the last three mentioned diseases were fatal.

4.

5.

Isolation was maintained.

About one-half of the sick were isolated.

6. I have kept well informed of accumulations of filth, and promptly caused them to be removed. There have been none of a serious nature; the few cases of contagious diseases have occurred where the sanitary conditions were generally fair.

7. No special sanitary inspections were made during 1889 by order of the town council.

8. No particularly unhealthy location known.

9. Should report to the town council nuisances dangerous to the public health if any were known.

10. No disease of domestic animals has largely prevailed.

3. No marked epidemics of any contagious or infectious diseases in 1889.

6. No official inspections were made during 1889.

7. No inspections ordered by town authorities.

8. No known location in town that seems to be particularly unhealthy.

9 Report is made to the town council of nuisances dangerous to the public health if any are known, or if complaint is made.

10. No disease of domestic animals has largely prevailed.

2. Health Officer, Albert G. Sprague, M. D.

3. The following contagious or infectious diseases have prevailed in this town during 1889:

Scarlet fever: Phenix, River Point and vicinty; a few cases; Spring and Summer. Measles; Phenix, River Point and vicinity; very prevalent; mild. Influenza (La Grippe); all over the town to an alarming extent; no deaths; during last week in December.

4. No isolation maintained.

6. Inspections of premises were made, to a considerable number, as to the sanitary condition of sink-drains, cesspools, out-house privies, distance of wells from accumulations of filth, etc. Some of the places were found to be very

filthy, and I ordered them to be cleaned.

7. Inspections were made mostly on complaint of individuals, and the nuisances were abated in every case.

8. No location in town that seems to be particularly unhealthy to any considerable number of persons.

9. Should report to the town council any extensive nuisances dangerous to the public health upon first known occurrence.

10. No serious disease of domestic animals has largely prevailed.

3. No epidemics or any large prevalence of contagious or infectious diseases in this town during 1889.

7. I made inspections at my own option. I inspected the sink-drains, water closets, cesspools, privies, back yards and cellars of the hotels and lodginghouses.

8. No location in town that seems to be particularly unhealthy to my knowl edge.

9. I should report to the town council nuisances dangerous to the public health, or unsanitary premises, or buildings unsafe for occupants in case of fire, if any were known to me.

10. No serious disease of domestic animals has largely prevailed.

3. The following contagious or infectious diseases have prevailed in town during 1889:

Scarlet fever; 5 cases; no deaths; April. Diphtheria; 1 The above are all the cases of which I have any knowledge. nance of council obliging doctors to report to me or any one. the last year, and hope for some action sometime.

4.

Isolation was maintained as soon as cases were known.

case; September. There is no ordi

I have tried for

5. All of the sick were isolated. The cases of scarlet fever were very light, all from one case contracted in Newport. The case of diphtheria was supposed to have been contracted in traveling; other children in the house did not take it. 7. I visited where the case of diphtheria was, with one of the town council, and found everything on the premises in good order.

8. Do not think any place particularly unhealthy.

9.

Should report to the town council nuisances dangerous to the public health soon as known.

10. No serious disease of domestic animals has occurred.

NEWPORT CITY.

Henry E. Turner, Jr., Executive Officer of the Board of Health. (See page 52.) The following are extracts from the Report of Dr. F. H. Rankin, Secretary of the Newport Board of Health :

HEALTH OF THE CITY.

We feel that the city is to be congratulated upon the general good health that has prevailed within its limits during the year, and also upon its immunity from any extended epidemic of infectious diseases. A review of the statistical tables herewith presented, places Newport in an enviable light as to its degree of healthfulness, and shows that few cities have as low a general death rate, as low a death rate from zymotic diseases, as small a percentage of deaths among children under five years of age, and as few deaths from consumption; all of which is indicative of a more than the average good state of sanitation. Notwithstanding this laudatory statement, the guardians of the city's health should not rest satisfied with the present low mortality, for, blessed as the city is, with physical conditions unusually favorable to health, our general death rate and deaths from zymotic diseases should be much lower.

During the year 1889 there were 319 deaths, exclusive of still-births, reported in the city, an equivalent to an annual death rate of 14 3 per 1,000 inhabitants, based upon the estimated population of 22,300. The population in 1888 was