the list have appeared at the head of the list, and in much the same order, in nearly every compilation made on this subject. By reference to the second part of Exhibit I, it will be seen that they headed the list during the months of January, February, March, April, May, November and December; that the first four were included with the five leading diseases in the months of June and October; and that the first three diseases were among the five leading causes of sickness in every month of the average year. That the prevalence of these diseases was not limited to any particular part of the State is shown in Exhibit II, where the five diseases head the list in seven out of the eleven geographical divisions, and the first four diseases are included in the five leading diseases in every geographical division. By reference to the first part of Exhibit I, it will be seen that many of the diseases show a marked decrease in recent years, notably intermittent fever, remittent fever, consumption, pneumonia, erysipelas, dysentery, cholera morbus, inflammation of bowels and cholera infantum. Some of these diseases show a much greater decrease in recent years when compared with the statistics for years previous to 1886. Many factors have contributed to this reduction in the sickness, notably the general surface and subsoil drainage, and the organized efforts put forth by the State and local health departments for the suppression of the dangerous communicable diseases. The education of the people in matters pertaining to general and personal hygiene has probably contributed in no small degree to this gratifying result. EXHIBIT I. The prevalence of twenty-six prominent diseases in Michigan, in the eighteen years, 1886-1903. Diseases arranged in the order of greatest amount of sickness in the average year.-CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE. *Includes typho-malarial fever, both in this and other exhibits. †Includes membranous croup, both in this and other exhibits. Not compiled until 1888. |