ACTUAL PROCEEDINGS IN SMALL-POX.

to meet the burden of supporting those who would have become dependent upon the public by reason of this disease. As the towns, however, have not, in all cases of the appearance of small-pox, given the notice thus asked for, and in view of the great importance, to the health of the community and to the treasury of the State, of immediate action at the first breaking-out of this disease, it is suggested that towns and cities be required by law to comply with this reasonable request, under penalty of forfeiting any claim they may subsequently have to reimbursement for care of paupers without settlement, and sick with small-pox, in case of non-compli

ance.

7. Actual Proceedings in Small-Pox Cases.

No appropriation for small-pox cases was made in the year 1880, the unexpended balances of previous years being sufficient; but in 1881 the disease increased, and $6,000 was appropriated. The whole number of notices in 1881 was 90, covering 110 State poor, who were duly visited. They were in Boston, Holyoke, Fall River, New Bedford, Adams, Cheshire, Richmond, Montague, Northampton, and a few other towns. The cost of the patients will probably be to the State above $5,000; to the cities and towns more than twice this. The constant vigilance of the Health Officer and the Superintendent of Out-door Poor has been exerted to prevent the spread of the disease; and it has been checked in every place where it appeared before it had extended far, or caused many deaths. The presence of this disease in Massachusetts is due to three distinct and very evident causes, -importation by immigrants at our ports, paper rags, and the Canadian immigration. The last-named cause appears to furnish most cases, but the second occasions the most virulent form of the disease. Since its destructive visit in 1872-73, when several thousands were attacked and more than 1,000 persons died, it has been very light; probably because the general and thorough vaccination and revaccination then effected left it little material to work upon. But the large immigration and numerous births of the last eight years have renewed the supply of non-vaccinated persons, and there is danger of another general outbreak should vigilance be relaxed. During the

ACTUAL PROCEEDINGS IN SMALL-POX.

past year we know of its appearance in 20 cities and towns, having a population of more than 550,000; but in one town only did it make any serious headway, and even there it was checked after 50 or 60 people had been attacked.

The admirable arrangements of the Board of Health in Boston protect our chief seaport, while the same Board secludes, vaccinates, and disinfects so promptly and effectually as to leave the disease little foothold by land. In cities like Holyoke, and towns where the paper-manufacture is carried on, the people are most exposed. The chief risk occurs in places where there are paper-mills, or where the Canadian element abounds. The movement hither of infected persons from the Dominion must always be expected till its authorities take the matter in hand, and enforce vaccination, especially among the French-speaking population. The present situation is a constant menace to the New England States, and especially to Massachusetts. But the disease propagated from the paper-mills is within our own control, and our present experience is demonstrating the necessity of prompt and effective action. In our judgment the sum to be paid by the State for the cases originating from this source for the past six months will not fall short of $5,000, and it may largely exceed that sum. As the operatives in these mills live in scattered villages, there is constant danger of the spread of contagion; and the disease now exists in Bernardston, carried from a paper-mill in Holyoke, in Deerfield carried by an operative from Turner's Falls, and in Northampton from the same source. It is suggested that a conference with the mill-owners might be of service, to devise some means of disinfecting their rags when the bales are opened, and to secure their unanimous pledge to give work to none who cannot show that themselves and their entire households have been thoroughly vaccinated. This latter precaution alone will materially reduce the risk. To show the present risk in many of the small towns of the interior, we would add that, in one locality, supposed to be quite well protected, the Board's officer found, within 80 rods of a house where there were two cases of small-pox, 130 persons who had never been vaccinated. Three days after, as the result of

SPECIAL WORK UNDER ACTS OF 1881.

concurrent action by this Board and the local Board of Health, not one could be found; and the whole cost of this vaccination did not exceed fifteen dollars.

SPECIAL WORK UNDER ACTS AND RESOLVES OF THE

LEGISLATURE OF 1881.

Among the laws and resolves of the Legislature for 1881 were three, which brought prominently to the attention of the Board the great importance of some well-considered protection of the water-supplies of the State, and of existing methods of sewage disposal. The first of these, contained in chap. 240, is an "Act concerning Alewife Brook and certain sewers in Cambridge and Somerville."

Alewife Brook now receives a large amount of sewage from the city of Cambridge, and is especially contaminated by the drainage from a large hog-slaughtering establishment in that part of Cambridge recently annexed from Belmont. This slaughter-house, close to the borders of Fresh Pond, the only water-supply of Cambridge, was built by permission of the authorities of the town of Belmont, and was under the supervision of this Board until 1881, when the following preamble and vote were passed:

“Whereas the recent annexation of a portion of the town of Belmont to the city of Cambridge has removed the most important reason, want of jurisdiction, which induced that city to seek relief from this Board in the matter of the Niles slaughtering establishment, located near the border of Fresh Pond, and supposed to endanger the purity of its watersupply, be it therefore voted, that this Board dismiss the subject from further consideration."

The only feasible method at present of disposing of the waste liquids of this establishment is by direct drainage into this brook, and yet the stream is so seriously polluted as to be very offensive in its whole extent, and constitutes a not inconsiderable portion of the nuisance in Mystic River. The only plans of sewerage which have been suggested thus far, as reliefs to Alewife Brook, are a sewer to Charles River above Old Cambridge, or an entrance through Somerville's drainage system into the trunk sewer in East Cambridge, which dis

SPECIAL WORK UNDER ACTS OF 1881.

charges at Craigie's Bridge, and was constructed by joint action of Somerville and Cambridge.

The objections to the first plan are for the present insurmountable. The Charles already needs relief, and is sure to become year by year more foul; for no system of intercepting sewers to relieve the river has as yet been adopted.

The Act above cited offered a certain, and for the present, sufficient outlet. It failed, however, to become a law, not having been accepted by the city of Somerville within the thirty days specified in sect. 16, though it had been accepted by Cambridge.

The next Act, chap. 303, is entitled "An Act to require the city of Boston to abate a nuisance in Mystic Lower Pond, for protecting the purity of the waters of said pond, and for the preservation of the public health, especially in the towns of Medford and Arlington."

In the first section the city of Boston is directed to cease emptying sewage, or waters, or substances containing polluting matters or properties into Mystic Lower Pond through its sewer, and is also directed to take up and remove so much of said sewer as extends into said pond; and so much, also, as is within two hundred feet of the border of the pond, within three months from the passage of the Act, but is allowed to discharge the water in the sewer, after proper purification, into Mystic Pond, provided it flows through an open drain, with a gravelly or sandy bottom, before entering it. The second section, with which alone the Board is concerned, reads as follows:

SECT. 2. The city of Boston is hereby directed to cause said Mystic Lower Pond to be cleansed of such impurities prejudicial to the public health as, in the judgment of the state board of health, lunacy, and charity, it shall have caused, and at such time and in such manner and extent as shall be approved by the state board of health, lunacy, and charity, and said city shall pay the expense incurred thereby; and should the said board deem the same to be necessary, and so decide, the city of Boston may erect a dam at the outlet of the Lower Mystic Pond, and may exclude tide-water from said pond, and may raise the height of the water in said pond, and may take land therefor; and any person suffering any damage shall have the right to have damages assessed therefor, as provided in section three of this act.

SPECIAL WORK UNDER ACTS OF 1881.

MYSTIC POND.

On June 18, the Board, accompanied by representatives of the towns in interest, visited the following places: The Loring tannery in Winchester; Russell Brook; the tannery of Messrs. Dow, Bishop, and Cummings, in Woburn; the glue factory in East Woburn; the dam and outlet of Mystic Lower Pond; the Mystic pumping station in Medford; and finally Alewife Brook at its outlet, and at its crossing under Arlington Avenue. On the conclusion of the inspection, the chairman of the Board ordered that a hearing should be held at the State House at ten o'clock A.M., June 22, 1881, for the further consideration of the abatement of the nuisance exist

ing at Mystic Lower Pond. This hearing was held, and counsel representing the city of Boston asked permission for the city to erect a dam at the outlet of the pond. This was opposed by counsel representing the towns of Medford and Arlington. In the opinion of the Board, sufficient evidence to justify the erection of the dam was not submitted at this hearing; and, upon request of the complainants, and in order to give Boston time to carry out the provisions of the first section, with consent of all the parties, the further consideration of the whole subject was postponed for two months, unless otherwise ordered by the Board, or the chairman thereof. By request of the parties in interest, this later hearing was postponed until a decision should be reached in proceedings pending in behalf of the town of Medford against the city of Boston, in banc, in the Supreme Judicial Court. We learn that, quite recently, legal proceedings have been discontinued, and that Boston is commencing measures to purify the contents of the sewer; but no official notice of these facts has been given us. The Board has, however, requested the Harbor Commissioners to ascertain the amount of shoaling since their previous survey (in 1865), which would substantially determine the extent of sewageaccumulation within that time. They have kindly complied with this request, and the result indicates no very large amount of filth-deposit.

The Board, on Saturday, January 7, 1882, voted that the city of Boston and the towns of Arlington and Medford should be notified that a hearing will be held by this Board