of the street, and filled the cellar, well and privy vault, only a few feet apart, so that the water in each was virtually the same. This child died on the third day.

An epidemic of measles, confined almost exclusively to the city of Muncie, began on the 12th day of May and continued until the 20th of July. There were 76 cases reported in all, with no deaths occurring as a result of the disease.

During the year 23 cases of typhoid fever have been reported, with three deaths. In January a family consisting of five members all had the fever, and one of the number died. During August and September, of two families, one of eight and the other of thirteen members, six of each family had typhoid fever. It is the report of the attending physicians that they will all recover. In each of these three instances the cause of the outbreak is reported as being "impure drinking water." The other six cases reported occurred a single case in a family. There was no post mortem in the fatal cases.

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In Delaware County two rapidly flowing rivers, the Mississinewa and the White, besides a number of smaller streams as tributaries, carry off the surface water. Artificial drainage has been largely employed, and ditches, open and tiled, drain the land away from these streams, rendering Delaware a fine agricultural county. Artificial drainage has very materially reduced the miasmatic diseases prevailing here fifteen to twenty years ago. Remittent and intermittent fevers were the prevalent diseases of the county before this drainage was practiced. At this time a well defined ague is rarely seen.

Of the one hundred and twenty-four school houses of the county, outside of the city of Muncie, all but nine are brick and of recent erection.

Teachers and school officials are generally awakening to the importance of protecting the health of the pupils of the public schools, and the last two years have made many improvements in the sanitary condition of the school houses and surroundings. It can be said generally that the improvement has been as great as could reasonably be expected. Many new buildings have been erected, and in each instance have been fenced in, a well dug, and separate privies for the sexes provided. These improvements have been made to nearly all the school buildings of the county, the exceptions being those in which a new building and a change of location is contemplated in the near future. Our County Superintendant has rendered efficient service in promoting the sanitary interests of the schools of the county, and many improvements have been made through his suggestion. Of the condition of the schools of this city, it need only be said that their condition is good.

The local Board is composed of intelligent and energetic physicians, and their efforts to promote the sanitary welfare of the city schools have been heartily seconded by the Superintendent and his efficient corps of teachers.

A. B. BRADBURY, M. D.,
County Health Officer.

FRANKLIN COUNTY.

BROOKVILLE, IND., November 8, 1886.

C. N. Metcalf, M. D., Indianapolis:

DEAR SIR-In reply to your circular in reference to diseases and sanitary conditions of this (Franklin) county: There have only been some seven or eight cases of typhoid fever. There were five cases in one family of eight members, and the five that had the disease died. The doctors that had the cases in charge did not report the cases at the time of the sickness. The family was German. They lived in a two-story brick house. The neighbors say the cellar is very wet, and water stands on the floor a good part of the year. It is so damp that the cellar walls are covered with a heavy mold. There have been a few cases of diphtheria. It was not of a very severe type. There have only been two or three deaths. There have been a few cases of measles. No deaths. There have been several cases of scarlet fever, with a few deaths. This, like diphtheria, was not of a severe type. The sanitary condition of the town of Brookville and the county is good. The County Jail and Poor Asylum are in as good a sanitary condition as they can be in under the surrounding circumstances which exist.

GEORGE B. BUCKINGHAM,

Secretary Franklin County Board of Health.

HENRY COUNTY.

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NEW CASTLE, IND., October 31, 1886.

Dr. C. N. Metcalf, Secretary of State Board of Health of Indiana, Indianapolis, Ind.: DEAR SIR-I am much pleased to report that during the last year the health of Henry County in general has been good.

There were some sporadic cases of diphtheria reported, nòne proving fatal; but whether the diagnosis was correct in the cases is a question.

Also, some cases of scarlatina, but with prompt precautionary measures the progress and spread of the disease was arrested.

Typhoid fever was developed in a family of eight persons eight miles southeast of this place.

I will give you as briefly as possible a detailed account of the cases as furnished me by Dr. Day, of Dublin, attending physician.

The family consisted of eight persons. Seven were attacked and four deaths resulted, and one of the three recoveries has a relapse and can not be reckoned among the recoveries.

The source of infection is supposed to have been the drinking water obtained from the well in the rear of the residence. I inclose a diagram of the premises:

No. 1 is the well, covered by a platform, indicated by a dotted line; is the sink, from which all the waste water from the pump, soap-suds, dish-water, etc., etc., were received. And it being but five feet from the well, and made by digging out about a barrel of earth, making a hole at bottom of which a tile drain was laid in the direction of the barn. The hole was filled with stone, and extended, making the sink one-third of the way, where it opened into another tile drain extending from north to south.

The privy is 75 feet north of the well; has a vault.

The barn is 50 yards distant from the house, and on higher ground. The lowest ground is where the north and south tile drain passes between.

The premises are new. The house was built two years ago; and at same time well was dug.

The family are of cleanly habits, and the house well kept.

The adjacent grounds are sufficiently rolling to afford good drainage.

The first case was dismissed on 26th day of attendance (who was the father of the family). The second case died on 26th day of illness. The third case recovered in 26 days. The fourth case (nurse) died on 8th day of illness. The fifth case required 25 days' attendance, and now has a relapse. The sixth case (mother) died on 14th day of illness.

The seventh case died after ten days' illness. In addition, another faithful nurse in the family during a greater part, and especially the last of the sickness, has since died, after an illness of two weeks. Her death, and perhaps one or two others, was due to infection, i. e. contagion, and not to bad drinking water. The use of the water from the well was enjoined as soon as the second case occured, but which injunction was not strictly obeyed until the occurrence of the fourth and fifth cases. A test of the water revealed a large amount of organic matter. This county is now, we may say, almost free from malarial influence, if we may judge from the expressed opinions of those who have been familiar with it heretofore. As it is, rarely a strictly malarial case is presented for treatment; and as regards the genuine old-fashioned fever and ague, it is a disease of the past, not one case being reported or heard of within the borders of the county in the last three years. The extensive ditching and tile draining that has been in progress in the county has drained all the stagnant ponds and pools, and converted invaluable into valuable land, and made good health for the citizens of the county. The County Asylum has been in good sanitary condition, and with very little sickness among the inmates. The Jail also has been in good condition, with no sickness of any account among the prisoners, which have been but few. The school houses, and all other public buildings of the county coming under the jurisdiction of this office, have been looked after, and can report them all in a good sanitary condition.

I would suggest that you urge upon the incoming Legislature to so amend the law for the government of the State Board of Health so that it is compulsory for all those who solemnize marriage to make their returns.

And I regret exceedingly to make an adverse report as to the interest that many of the physicians of this county take in collecting the material for the making of the statistics of the State, which they know, or ought to know, are of incalculable value. The doctors of the county are more prompt and exact than the physicians. Many complain of the expense, and I dare say twenty-five cents will pay the postage for anyone in making the returns. It is a great shame and disgrace upon the profession of the great State of Indiana that she can not get from those to whom she can only look to for the facts she so much desires to complete her statistical reports. And for the medical profession to lose all State pride and permit their State to lag behind in anything that will give it a front rank among the United States is indeed humiliating to all who have the best interests and prosperity of the State at heart.

G. W. BURKE,

Secretary Henry County Board of Health.

HENDRICKS COUNTY.

There have been reported during the year contagious and infectious diseases as follows: Malignant erysipelas, 1; scarlet fever, 15; typhoid fever 14; cerebrospinal meningitis, 1; diphtheria, 14.

These cases, occurring in different parts of the county, were essentially sporadic in character. The physicians and citizens, realizing that immunity from these terrible diseases can be procured by proper effort, in nearly every instance promptly complied with the requirements of the State Board of Health, and thus, no doubt, prevented a general spread of scarlet fever in at least two localities, where it appeared in the schools.

That the general sanitary condition of the county is at least up to the average I think the above report abundantly establishes.

I take this opportunity to state that there is a growing sentiment in the county in favor of State medicine.

C. A. WHITE,
Health Officer.

HUNTINGTON COUNTY.

HUNTINGTON, IND., October 31, 1886.

An analysis of the ten fatal cases of diphtheria occurring in Huntington County during the year, shows that one case occurred in November, one in December, one in January, two in February, one in March, two .in July, and two in August. With the exception of those cases occurring in January and February, and in July and August, all have been widely separated as to time and location. Those occurring in January and February were in the city, two of the fatal cases being pupils in the city schools-but by isolation and disinfection the disease was stopped without disturbing the schools or spreading further. The rules excluding those from school who have been exposed, and prohibiting public funerals, are rigidly enforced. In fact, so well are the people aware of the infectious and contagious nature of the disease, that the rules enforce themselves. Three of the cases, occurring in July and August, were in the country, and in one section, and ten other cases, which recovered, occurred within a radius of a mile of the fatal For several years schools in this part of the county have been broken up by the disease. With each recurring school term, when the pupils are huddled together, the disease develops. It is not confined to one district, but first one and then another in and about the north part of Clear Creek and Warren townships. Efforts have been made to have thorough disinfecting, but a rural community is the slowest in the world to appreciate the necessity of an effective application of germicides.

cases.

The eleven fatal cases of typhoid fever occurring in Huntington County for the year ending September 30, 1886, have been of a sporadic nature—no two occurring at the same time and place. It is likely that many of these might better be classed as typho-malarial fevers.

LAGRANGE SEVERANCE, M. D.,

Secretary County Board of Health.