as this refuse has a bright yellow hue. A mystery certainly attaches to the clogging of the fish in this instance, and it is to be confessed that the investigation is unsatisfactory, for it fails to explain the conditions.

August 5th, Pendleton. On this date I visited Pendleton for the purpose of attending the annual meeting of the State Horticultural Society and deliver a talk upon sanitation and the work of the State Health Department. Another object of the visit was to inspect five premises in the town where typhoid had existed and to give what suggestions I could to better matters. On arrival at Pendleton I found the meeting of the above named society was held at a church two miles south of the town. I secured a horse and buggy and proceeded to the place. It seems fair to conclude that the lecture given was productive of good, because questions were poured in rapidly and answered the best I could, and also because a unanimous vote of thanks was given.

The premises inspected at Pendleton showed clearly that polluted water existed in each instance, and it was this which caused the typhoid. All five of the wells were dug and were not properly protected against surface water. All were so located as to make plain that it was possible for them to be connected with the adjacent vaults. It was recommended in every instance that these wells be abolished and new driven wells put down at a distance as remote from the vaults as possible.

August 12th.-Smallpox, broke out again at French Lick on August 8th, and at the earnest solicitation of Health Officer Hoggatt I went to French Lick. Five cases of the disease were found, and there had been a death only a few days before. Dr. Hoggatt found himself quite helpless in trying to enforce the health law and the rules of the State Board of Health. He did not have the full support of his local board. All of the cases were visited, and I finally succeeded in getting the town board together. These gentlemen were convinced in time that smallpox existed, and they seemed to be pleased to learn exactly what their duties were. They readily promised to take hold of the work of stamping out the disease. A resolution was passed ordering the health officer to purchase vaccine and employ physicians to help him, and to vaccinate the whole town. He was also authorized to establish,

if necessary, and to the best advantage possible, a temporary hospital for smallpox patients.

As the opportunity offered, we all visited the schoolhouse together. We found this building in a very unsanitary condition. A new building is needed at French Lick, and in one more year one will be constructed, as the plans have all been drawn and advertisements made for bids upon the structure. For the coming winter certain repairs and changes are absolutely necessary. These were pointed out in detail, and the board promised that they would be made.

September 3d, Waverly.-A telephone message was received September 2d from Waverly, stating that tons of dead fish were to · be found in a bayou about two miles north of the town, and requested an investigation by the State Board of Health. On the 3d, together with Captain Anderson, I visited Waverly and readily found the place. Formerly a bend existed in the river at this point, and under the ditch law of the State a cut-off had been constructed from the two shoulders of the bend. At the upper shoulder a low dam had been built to deflect the river into the new canal. The lower arm was not dammed in any way, so that water backed into the same. Into this bayou discharged a small creek, and into this creek, not far from its mouth, there discharged a small branch. The bayou, the creek and the small branch were found filled with dead fish and the water had entirely run out, leaving the bottoms of the streams paved with decomposing bodies. It was evident the fish had come up the streams for some purpose, probably to get away from poisonous matter in the river. One fish had crowded up the little branch as far as he possibly could get, and behind him two more, side by side, were found; behind these two, three, and behind these four, and so on, until the bottom was paved in regular order with fish. It seemed a fair estimate that three or four tons of fish were in sight. At the time of our visit they were rapidly entering the putrefactive stage and the flies and stench were horrible. In the river itself only an occasional dead fish could be found. From general appearances and the testimony secured from a few people in the neighborhood, it was concluded that the fish ran into the bayou and up the creek and branch in order to escape some condition in the river. This occurred when the freshet was at its height, and the fish at the mouth

of the bayou, refusing to back away, thus preventing the fish above from retiring, produced the conditions described. In attempting to discover what could have driven the fish into the bayou and up the small streams, much testimony was taken. Mr. George Devore told us he had lived in that neighborhood for ten years or more, and he had noticed repeatedly, when there was a slight rise in the river, that dead fish were found all along its course, and that upon such occasions fish could be seen in the small inlets with mouths. above the surface, sucking air. When there was a rise of two feet or more in the river no dead fish were discovered, and such things as described were not known. This fact was generally concurred in by the farmers present, and led to the conjecture that very likely the fish were driven into the refuge they chose by the Indianapolis sewage. It is known that in times of low water in White River enormous pools of sewage collect below the town. This sewage undoubtedly becomes highly septic, and it is not a long stretch of imagination to suppose that the sudden rise in the river, due to rains, would push this septic sewage down the stream. Of course, it contains no air and will not support fish life. It might, therefore, drive fish before it, and it is but natural for these animals to run up the side streams, where they find water in which it is possible to live. Mr. Devore suggested it was strawboard refuse which killed the fish. This theory seemed not to be tenable, because there was no strawboard within sixty-five miles and there was no history to show that any fish were killed between Anderson and Indianapolis. All of the conditions described existed immediately below Indianapolis. The theory of septic sewage being the cause of the destruction of the fish is only tenable upon the supposition that the rise in the river would not be sufficient to dilute it to a point where it would not be dangerous.

September 6th, Mulberry.-On September 6th I visited Mulberry to inspect the schoolhouse at that place. This was on account of an invitation from a delegation of citizens from that town. Upon arrival at Mulberry I found a considerable number of people gathered to hear and see what might be said and done.

The town of Mulberry is not incorporated, and is, therefore, under township government, and the schoolhouse is a township institution. I found the building to be very old, built over twentyfour years ago. The material was brick, no cellar, and in very bad

repair. The site was an excellent one. The outhouses were new, with good paths leading to them. The rooms were all carefully measured and the number of pupils they contained last year were found not to crowd them. All rooms were heated by stoves and ventilated by windows and doors, which, of course, marked them as unsanitary. Not one of the rooms was properly lighted, the window area not being more than one-tenth of the floor area. The floors were in passable condition, blackboards painted, and desks were old. A summary of all the conditions was that the house was old, dilapidated, unsanitary, not large enough for the number of pupils which must be accommodated the coming winter, and that it was altogether unfit for school purposes. All of these facts were put before the assembled people, and the trustee and advisory board, who were present, promised that certain repairs and changes would be made in the schoolhouse for the coming winter, and that next year a new structure would be built. The visit, therefore, was satisfactory and profitable.

The trip to Mulberry was not made on account of smallpox, yet in passing along the street I met one John Butler, with a raw face full of pits and with scabs still hanging upon him in several places. I took Mr. Butler aside, carefully inspected him, and found that he was recovering from a case of smallpox, but desquamation was not yet complete. Upon questioning I found, further, that his mother and sister were afflicted with the disease at that time at their home, two miles in the country. The attending physician had failed to diagnose the disease properly, although it certainly had been a very severe case. Mr. Butler was ordered to his father's house in the country, where the disease existed, and the health officer of the county, Dr. Ruddell, of Frankfort, was called up by telephone and fully informed in regard to the situation. Dr. Ruddell said he would immediately establish quarantine and look after the cases.

September 8th, Plainfield.-On this date I visited Plainfield on account of smallpox, also for the purpose of inspecting the septic tank at the Boys' School. Two cases of smallpox were found, which were very mild and which were being allowed to go around the village, thus endangering other persons. Proper steps were taken to prevent these conditions.

The septic tank at the institution had become very oul and needed attention. This fact being determined, recommendation was made to the superintendent as to what should be done. It seems that gases from the tank had passed back through the sewer pipes and become offensive in the institution. It was recommended that two or more efficient traps be put into the sewer between the institution and the tank.

October 12th, Jasonville.-I have the honor to report that, pursuant to instructions to proceed to Jasonville and make a sanitary survey of that town, I left Indianapolis Monday, October 5th, and arrived at Terre Haute about 10 a. m. I met Dr. Rice, Secretary City Board of Health, and had a talk with him over the conditions in that city. He reported health matters in good shape, little sickness, and sanitary conditions being improved as fast as possible. He is supported by his board in any work in that line. They are a little slow, but allow the bills without any trouble. He had no complaint of typhoid fever, and city water in good condition; some dug wells had been condemned, and he suggested that water ought to be boiled. He had no complaints to make except he thought that the County Health Officer was not strict enough on quarantine, as persons from outside the city would break quarantine and come into the city, and that was the main cause of the trouble of smallpox. In the afternoon I met Dr. M. B. Vancleave, who reported an outbreak of smallpox at Fontanet on Saturday night. There were twelve or fifteen cases, all among school children. The families were all quarantined. It was reported that tramps had slept in the schoolhouse, used the cups, etc., and it is supposed it was started from them, as it was confined to the pupils of the one school, none of whom had been vaccinated. Dr. Vancleave went before the County Board of Health that afternoon and asked privilege to be allowed to offer a reward of from $10 to $25 for the arrest and conviction of any one violating a quarantine. This privilege was granted by the board.

We then went over to the water-works; were shown over the plant by the chief engineer, which seemed to be in fine condition, and no complaints were made in any way by the health officer as to the purity of the water. We also visited new pesthouse on the poor farm, about three miles east of the city, which is completed from plans sent from the State Board of Health, but has not yet