Of the 6 deaths in hospital, there were under 10 years.. Total.... Of the 5 deaths elsewhere there were under 10 years. Total... On motion, the report of the Secretary was accepted. On motion of Dr. Dickinson, it was ordered that section two of the by-laws be amended so as to read as follows, to-wit: "That as to the Secretary, that his annual election shall be discontinued: that he hold his office during the pleasure of the Board; and that he may be removed for incompetency or other cause, at any meeting, by the votes of a majority of the Board." Dr. Dickinson presented the following resolution, which was adopted, and the Secretary instructed to send a copy to Iowa Congressmen: Resolved, That the Iowa State Board of Health cordially approves the action of the National Board of Health, by the American Public Health Association at its recent meeting in Indianapolis, both in regard to the protection of the Mississippi Valley from yellow fever, and the northwest from small-pox; also Resolved, That this Board, while grateful for the protection from smallpox, afforded this State, by the inspection of immigrants at ports of entry, and while in transit on the railroads, deeply regrets the action of Congress which, by a deficient appropriation, crippled this efficient means of protection, thereby exposing Iowa and the whole northwest to great danger. On motion the Secretary was ordered to prepare a petition to Congress, to keep the library of the Surgeon-General's office separate from the congressional library, and in a fire-proof building. On motion it was ordered that the salary of Mr. Andrews be fixed at one thousand dollars per annum, as assistant secretary. Dr. Dickinson presented the following resolution which was adopted: Resolved, That this State Board of Health recommends to local boards of health, and trustees of public schools throughout the State, the compulsory vaccination of all unprotected children attending the schools, on the outbreak of epidemic small-pox in the neighborhood. On motion bills and vouchers from number 233 to 247 inclusive, amounting to $515.18 were audited and ordered paid. On motion the computation of expenses of the Board meeting was made as follows: PROCEEDINGS OF MAY MEETING, 1883. DES MOINES, THURSDAY, May 3, 1883. Pursuant to call, by order of the President, the Board convened at the office of the Secretary, and was called to order at 9 o'clock A. M. All members present except Dr. Clark. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. On motion, it was ordered that the petition to Congress in regard to the Library of the Surgeon-General's Office be renewed. Mr. Loring presented the following resolution, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Secretary of the State Board of Health prepare a circular addressed to the members of Congress from Iowa, requesting their influence in urging upon Congress an appropriation for the construction of a fire-proof building in the city of Washington, wherein to place the Medical Museum now in the old Ford Theater. On motion of Dr. Lewellen, the Secretary was instructed to prepare for general distribution, a circular upon the cause and prevention of Typhoid Fever. On motion, the New York kerosene oil tester as adopted by the New York State Board of Health was adopted as the standard oil tester for the State of Iowa. On motion, a resolution adopted by the Board at a former meeting, regarding the distribution of the biennial report of the Board, was rescinded. On motion of Dr. Lewellen, Mr. L. F. Andrews, was continued as Assistant Secretary until further ordered, at the same salary. The Secretary presented his report, which was accepted, as follows: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. As another meeting is to take place previous to the meeting of the next Legislature, all questions of proposed amendment to the existing law may be postponed, but I beg leave to suggest that the Committee on Legislation be requested to consider this matter, and have prepared to lay before the Board at the November meeting a draft of what is needed in the way of amendments. The current business of this office has continued to increase, as new Local Boards of Health spring into existence. This necessitates additional correspondence and more distribution of blanks, circulars, and other documents. The total number of Local Boards of Health up to date is 450; of which there are in cities or incorporated towns 133; in townships 317. VITAL STATISTICS. The work of compiling the vital statistics for the year ending October 1, 1881, is steadily progressing, and is sufficiently advanced to render it reasonably certain that it will be finished by the time the new law (chapter 175, Laws of 1882) requires reports of State institutions to be in the hands of the public printer, which is the 30th day of June. The compilation of the statistics of the marriages, births, and stillbirths are now completed; the compilation of the deaths, giving sex, color, age, months according to an alphabetical list of diseases is also finished. There remains to be compiled, another table showing deaths by counties, sex, social condition, and color, according to a list of causes of death nosologically arranged. In compiling this, the new classification of causes of death which was exhibited at the meeting of May, 1882, will be used. This classification is the result of a modification of the English official one, and as it will in all probability be adopted in this country, it is used, so that our series of vital statistics may in this respect, be uniform from the beginning. A tabie compiled from the preceding will show the same by the nine great divisions of the State Another comparing the mortality from a number of selected diseases in the various divisions of the State will complete the work. LITERARY. In obedience to the resolutions of May, 1882, in regard to the library, the purchase of books has been continued according as opportunity of obtaining suitable works occurred, until at present we have in the library 460 books, not including State reports, pamphlets, and unbound volumes. EXPENDITURES. The total expenditures up to date have been $521.29, from which deduct $35.95 for books bought previously to the above resolution, and we have expended for books under that resolution $485.34. SMALL-POX. Since January 1, 1883, this disease has appeared in the following points in Iowa, the information coming from notices in the newspapers mostly. January 1, Scott county, Davenport. January 30, Ida county, Ida Grove. February 1, Black Hawk county, Finchford. February 20, Pottawattamie county, Council Bluffs. I would here respectfully suggest that the Secretary be authorized to print a circular for distribution throughout the State, directing health officers, where these exist, and in their absence any town or township authorities, to send short telegrams announcing the outbreak of small-pox, and the cost of these telegrams to be paid by the State Board of Health. SANITARY COUNCIL OF MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. A meeting of this body was held in Jackson, Mississippi, on April 3 and 4, 1883. On account of sickness, the Secretary was unable |