DISEASES IN IOWA---SPECIAL CORRES PONDENCE. To secure more accurate and reliable knowledge of diseases in Iowa, and causes which may be supposed to affect the rate of sickness or death, the following circular was sent to special correspondents: [CIRCULAR 23 B.] OFFICE OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, To Special Correspondents of the State Board of Health: GENTLEMEN-This Board desires to have, and to place upon record for purposes of future study in connection with records of deaths and of meteorological conditions, statements, for as many different localities in the State as possible, of the diseases in Iowa during the year 1881. Will you have the kindness to send, as soon as is convenient, your replies to the following questions? Please use the stamped envelope inclosed herewith, and leave all additional postage to be paid at this office. In replying, it will not be necessary to repeat the questions, but simply to refer to the circular by number and to each question by number. 1. Do you live in a city or incorporated town? What do you estimate the number of inhabitants of said city or town July 1, 1881? 2. Among the inhabitants above mentioned, what do you estimate the number of deaths from all causes during the year 1881? 3. Please state the territory for which your replies to the following questions are made. 4. Among the people of your locality, considering the increase or decrease of population, was the amount of sickness from all causes during the year ending December 31, 1881, greater, less, or about the same as the average during the previous years? If not the same, how much was it increased or diminished? 5. Compared with previous years, and from all causes, was the ratio of deaths to inhabitants during the year 1881, grenter, less, or about the same as the average? If not the same, how much was it increased or diminished? 6. What diseases or causes of death were more than usually prevalent during the year 1881? 7. If you can assign any cause for the unusual prevalence of any disease, please do so. 8. What diseases or causes of death were less than usually prevalent? 9. To what do you attribute the lessened prevalence? 10. From what diseases or causes was there more than the usual mortality during the year 1881? 11. If you can assign any cause for the unusual mortality from any disease, please do so. 12. From what diseases or causes was there less than the usual mortality? 13. To what do you attribute the lessened mortality? 14. Please mention dates of the occurrence in 1881 of all diseases attended with an unusually high rate of mortality, and state whether the rate was high or low. 15. Please mention dates of the occurrence in 1881 of all diseases attended with an unusually low rate of mortality, and state whether the rate was high or low. 16. Please give names and dates of the occurrence in 1881 of all diseases not usually occurring in your locality. 17. State number of cases of each of these diseases, viz.: small-pox, cholera, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, measles, whooping-cough, cerebro-spinal meningitis, diphtheria, and any other epidemic, endemic, contagious or infectious disease that appeared during 1881. (Facts are especially desired, but opinions are better than no statements, though it will be well to state them as opinions.) 18. Of the eight diseases mentioned in No. 17, name those of which no case appeared during the year 1881. 19. For each of the months in 1881, please give a summary statement of the diseases which occurred, naming them in the order of their prevalencegreatest first. 20. Has the attendance on the public schools in your neighborhood, in 1881, spread any of the diseases mentioned in No. 17? 21. During the year 1881, what diseases occurred, at what time, and to what extent among animals? Describe the character of the disease. 22. Give a summary statement of the meteorological conditions during the year 1881, specifying the general character for each month, and note any peculiar or unusual conditions. 23. Please state the facts concerning the soil moisture in your locality, during each of the months in the year 1881, without reference to previous years, but comparing the months, in 1881, with each other. Group them in order -driest first. 24. Compared with previous years in what months of the year 1881 was the soil in your locality unusually dry. 25. Compared with previous years in what months of the year 1881 was the soil in your locality unusually moist. |