bilities of sick and nervous people, but the material and contents of buildings all along the shore are discolored from the same cause.

"4th:-The examination and experience of the New York State Board of Health, and of the Boards of Health in the cities of New York and Brooklyn, and elsewhere in and beyond the State of New York, have demonstrated the possibility and the economy of removing or abating all these nuisances. The worst of them composed of sludge should be removed, and all existing nuisances relating to gases, oil and smoke can be abated to the extent of at least ninety per cent, and this without loss to the owners of the property which produces the nuisances. The proper combustion of coal and other fuel, and the proper regulation and control of gases by consumption is the easy, certain and effective remedy for what now results in so much personal discomfort and so much popular indignation.

"5th:-Most of the buildings on the north shore of Staten Island are private residences, occupied by families long residing on the island, and from the causes here named, and for the first time their homes have been made uncomfortable, and in the case of many of their inmates unhealthy, from causes beyond their reach, because wholly under the control of a neighboring State and people. They therefore earnestly and respectfully appeal to the authorities and people to remove this great evil from their midst, and the State Board of Health respectfully asks the Governor of the State to aid the State Board and the people of the village of New Brighton in asking the neighborly interference of the State of New Jersey to remove a public affliction wholly under their control." On motion it was unanimously

Resolved:-That the statement here submitted by Mr. Brooks be transmitted to the Governor,

The secretary submitted to the Board a petition and papers referred by the Governor to the State Board of Health for examination, from the proprietors of the Oriental Hotel, Manhattan Beach, Coney Island, and suggested that suitable action be taken in reference thereto.

On motion it was

Resolved: That the special committee on effluvium nuisances be directed to continue its investigation in the direction indicated by the above petition, and report its findings to the annual meeting of the Board in May.

Prof. Waller submitted his report on the chemical nature of effluvia produced by certain manufacturing operations.

On motion it was unanimously

Resolved: That the committee having charge of the subject lay the report before the Governor with the paper of Prof. Waller incorporated inviting special attention to the expert inquiries that had attended the investigation suggesting the transmission of these documents to the Legislature for publication.

On motion it was

Resolved: That under the direction which the president shall give to the committee on drainage, sewerage and topography of which he is a member, it shall proceed to take whatever action may be deemed necessary in the following places: Auburn, Geneva, Watkins and the abandoned canal regions, Hudson City, Croton Falls, Cortlandttown and the Yonkers district.

The secretary called attention to the necessity of the State Board

of Health taking action in regard to answering the question now urged upon its attention: Shall it be considered safe for the public health of the localities concerned, and of the State, that the lake-level of Seneca lake should be raised to any height exceeding its mean natural level as marked by the old monuments along the shore?

After discussing the question it was unanimously

Resolved:-That the committee on sanitary drainage, sewerage and topography, through the president and secretary, give such temporary advice as may be in their judgment necessary, based on accurately stated facts, concerning the proposed raising of the level of Seneca lake, as respects the malarial grounds that may be caused by any considerable elevation of that level.

The secretary called attention to the malarial district in the town of Murray, Orleans county, in regard to which Hon. M. A. Phillips, member of assembly from that county, was heard at the last meeting of the Board. He explained his recent visit to the place in company with an assistant engineer of the canal service, and suggested that the president and secretary could safely give the opinion that Mr. Phillips sought, namely that the swamp between Holley and Hulberton, south of Mr. Cole's property, should be immediately drained. Adjourned.

ANNUAL MEETING. ALBANY, MAY 10, 1881.

All members in attendance except the attorney-general.

The secretary submitted a statement of the Board's work during the past year and suggested that advantage be taken of the opportunity which Prof. Gardiner would have while in Europe to make observations for the use of this Board in regard to different systems of sewerage construction and sewer outflow in cities and villages.

On motion it was

Resolved: That in view of the practical importance of drainage and sewerage improvements as illustrated in England and other parts of Europe, Prof. Gardiner is hereby requested and commissioned to make whatever observations and investigations he can concerning this subject during his tour in Europe and to report the results thereof to this board.

Prof. Gardiner was requested by the president to suggest a few names of engineers best known and approved by him to aid the Board during his absence, as occasion may require under the resolution adopted at the last quarterly meeting. Prof. Gardiner named five such civil engi

neers.

On call of the president the reports of the standing committees were made.

Mr. Brooks also reported that the two houses of the Legislature had inserted in the supply bill an appropriation of twenty thousand for the expenses of the Board for the fiscal year commencing on the first of October next.

The report of the sanitary committee being called for, Prof. Chandler said, that there were two matters requiring investigation which would entail a small expenditure.

1. Water pollution and water supply.

2. Determining upon the instruments and methods for testing petro

leum. He asked that the sanitary committee be authorized to employ two chemical analysts for the next three months in analyzing samples of water collected from various parts of the State. The sum of

four hundred and fifty dollars would be sufficient for the whole work. On motion it was

Resolved: That the amount of money appropriated by this Board at the last quarterly meeting for the analysis of waters be and is hereby increased to the total amount of four hundred and fifty dollars, to be expended in maintaining the services of two analytical chemists for three months of the present summer.

Resolved: That the chairman of the sanitary committee is hereby requested to prepare the necessary instructions and schedule of questions to be used in the selecting of samples of water for analysis to be issued by the president and secretary, with the Board's request for a statement for suspecting the purity of the waters.

Resolved:-That the sanitary committee be authorized to spend a sum not exceeding one hundred and fifty dollars, in prosecuting the investigations preparatory to testing petroleum in establishing a standard for such test in this State.

The secretary called attention to the wide diffusion of small-pox in the different towns of the State and the responsibility of the Board in relation thereto and suggested the importance of rules for personal quarantine and domestic regulations applicable the State over.

The president suggested that there should be an instructive memorandum prepared and supplied to the local sanitary authorities, pointing out the best mode of procedure for abatement of nuisances and the execution of sanitary rules and regulations. A convenient four page manual illustrating what to do in a case of small-pox or other contagion, the rights, duties and the mode of procedure of the local officers in respect thereto, would be most desirable.

Resolved: That the committee on quarantine and the sanitary committee jointly with the president and secretary of the Board to prepare a brief circular adapted to aid local authorities and families in the duties of domestic and internal quarantine.

The president requested the secretary to put in form such a memorandum or circular as shall best combine this resolution and the suggestions he had made concerning sanitary procedure against nui

sances, etc.

The secretary called attention to the data in his possession concerning the crowded condition of school houses. He asked if some action should not be taken by the Board.

On motion it was

Resolved:-That the committee on public institutions prepare a circular to be addressed where and to whom necessary upon the subject of air-space, ventilation and lighting of school rooms.

The report of the committee on effluvium nuisances being called for, the chairman reported progress in the investigations at Manhattan Beach and on Barren Island.

The secretary referred to the importance of the State Board issuing a weekly or monthly statement of mortality and the prevailing diseases. Annual Election:-In accordance with the requirement of section 3, of chapter 322 of 1881, the Board now proceeded to its annual election of president and the appointment of standing committees. On motion

the secretary was instructed to deposit one ballot for the president of the Board during the ensuing year, and that the ballot bear the name of Dr. E. M. Moore.

The president re-appointed the committees of last year to serve during the present year, adding the name of Commissioner Brooks to the committee on drainage, sewerage and topography.

Adjourned.

SPECIAL MEETING.

Seven members in attendance.

ALBANY, JUNE 23.

The consideration of the food and drug, entitled chapter 407, laws of 1881, was taken up and the act was read through.

The duties imposed upon the Board by this law and the best means for carrying out its provisions occupied much of the time of the meeting. After discussion it was on motion,

Resolved:-That the secretary be authorized to print 1,000 copies of chapter 407, of the laws of 1881, for the use of the Board.

Resolved: That the secretary be directed to prepare and print a circular calling attention to the provisions of chapter 407 of the laws of 1881, and inviting information and suggestions to promote the objects of this law.

After further conference in regard to the subdivision of the work among chemical experts, and the classification of the substances to be analyzed; it was on motion.

Resolved: That the State Board of Health engage the services of competent persons to investigate the subject of existing adulterations in the articles of food and drugs and their compounds, and to inform this Board as soon as possible of the extent to which these articles are adulterated together with the best methods for the detection of the adulterations.

The various chemical experts available for this work in the State of New York and the inexpediency of going outside of the State for such help were considered.

On motion it was

Resolved: That the following chemists be appointed in accordance with the last resolution, and that the sum of four hundred dollars be paid to each for his services when rendered:

Prof. S. A. Lattimore, Ph. D., LL. D., Rochester University; Prof. A. H. Chester, A. M., Hamilton College, Clinton; Prof. G. C. Cadwell, Ph. D., Cornell University, Ithaca; F. E. Englehardt, Ph. D., Onondaga Salt Company, Syracuse; W. H. Pitt, M. D., Buffalo; J. C. Draper, Ph. D., New York; F. Hoffmann, Ph. D., New York; E. G. Love, Ph. D., New York.

The assignments and details of this work were discussed.

On motion it was

Resolved:-That the supervision of these investigations be referred to the sanitary committee with power to arrange the details and distribute the work among the chemists and analysts employed, and to report progress made in the organization and work at the August meeting of the Board.

The question of employing inspectors to collect samples accused or

suspected of adulteration was considered. After discussion it was on motion

Resolved:-That the sanitary committee be authorized to make such arrangemenrs as seem best for the collection of samples and the forwarding of the same to the chemical analysts for examination, at a total expense not to exceed four hundred dollars.

Resolved: That the sanitary committee is hereby authorized to convene the analysts and inspectors for a conference at a time and place to be named by said committee, and that their necessary traveling expenses be defrayed by this Board from the fund appropriated for said. bureau of chemical analysis.

The health officer asked the Board's attention to the widespread prevalence of small-pox in all of the ports and in most of the cities of Europe.

Several months ago he issued a circular letter to all owners and masters of emigrant ships, urging that all necessary sanitary regulations at the ports of departure to prevent the presence of small-pox among emigrants, should be enforced. He submitted the following:

WHEREAS, It is believed that small-pox is at the present prevailing as an epidemic in some of the ports of the British Islands and of continental Europe, and

WHEREAS, The emigration from those countries to the United States, principally through the port of New York, is at this time unprecedented, and as we recognize the fact that the incubative period of the disease is greater than that of the average passage of steamships from the ports here mentioned to ports in the United States, thus affording an opportunity for emigrants infected at the port of departure to pass our quarantine and reach interior communities before the development of the disease, therefore

Resolved: That this Board request the National Board of Health as a necessary measure of inter-State quarantine, to appoint an inspector of emigrant trains at Buffalo and Suspension Bridge, whose duty it shall be to examine all emigrants arriving at those places.

Resolved: That this Board respectfully recommends that the National Board of Health shall provide for such inspections at Chicago, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Omaha, and such other points as it may deem proper, during the prevalence of small-pox as an epidemic at the ports from which emigrants embark.

The preamble and resolutions were adopted.

The president introduced the subject of miasmatic diseases, caused by the stagnant water in the Genesee Valley canal, within the limits of the city of Rochester, and suggested the propriety of the Board registering its opinion upon that point.

The secretary called attention to drainage works provided for by law along sections of the late Chemung and Genesee Valley canals, and explained the result of his observations there during the previous week, and what was needed to be done to insure satisfactory results.

The president confirmed the views expressed and suggested that inasmuch as the Board was in a measure responsible for the successful execution of the projected work, some recommendation would be necessary.

Ón motion it was

Resolved: That the Board's supervision of the Chemung and Genesee