REPLIES OF R. R. HANLEY, OF SIDNEY, FREMONT COUNTY.

*1. Sidney; incorporated town; population 855; the civil township contains 2,994.

2. 3. The mortality was unusually small, not over one per cent in town and township.

4. One-third less than average. 5. The ratio of deaths less by 50 per cent.

8. Intermittent fevers, remittent, ty. phoid and dysentery were less than usually prevalent.

9. Less, on account of copious rains in the hot months, causing less deleterious exhalations.

10. Not any.

11. Same as No. 10.

12. From those named above.

13. Equable temperature.

14. Diphtheria, scarlet fever, cholera infantum.

15. Epizootic of animals in the month of December.

18. There was very small prevalence of any one disease above others occurring in this township.

19. Epizootic in the early winter.

20. The rain-fall of January, February, March and April was very light, and the weather mild and pleasant. The hot months, up even to frost, had plenty of rain, and a thrifty and long growth of vegetation; November and December were winter months of steady and moderately severe cold weather.

21. The soil moisture in this locality I can give no better than by the rain-fall. The months in order of dryness to wetness are February, January, March, April, November, December, June, July, August, October, September, May.

22. The dryness was greatest the first four months; the wettest the next four months.

24. Our land is much of it rough, rolling prairie and timber land; and much of it flat bottom-lands of the Missouri and Nishnabotna rivers. The uplands vary in depth to water from 50 to 90 feet; on the bottoms from 15 to 35 feet.

25. The variation is but small in this region; I can not state definite.

26, 27. Water was low, the first four months; highest the succeeding eight months.

28. To improve health conditions, I regard the regulations of the State Board as of the first value in respect to cess-pool.privy and stock yard drainage; next the ventilation and temperature of school rooms and churches, lecturerooms, etc. I would commend to your favor the proper encouragement of training schools for nurses and the more extended and correct ideas of hygiene in the treatment of incipient disease. I would be glad to give you more exact information, but I have given you the best I can for the present time. Respectfully,

Sidney, Fremont county, April 19, 1881.

R. R. HANLEY, M. D.

REPLIES OF 0. W. ARCHIBALD, M. D., OF IOWA ASYLUM FOR FEEBLE MINDED CHILDREN, AT GLENWOOD, MILLS COUNTY.

*The figures at the beginning of paragraphs refer to Circular 23B on pages 75-77.

I have answered the questions as near correct as possible from my own observation, and what I can obtain from the other physicians in the town. The year 1880 has been unusual in regard to the nature of diseases in this particular locality. There have been less cases of sickness and fewer deaths. But all cases seemed to be of a more severe type and lingered longer than is common. It has seemed to me for a long time that a great deal of sickness in our smaller towns originates from the carelessness of people in regard to out-houses. I presume our town is no exception, and I am sure that two-thirds of the privies are filled level with the surface of the ground and during both the rainy season and the excessive hot days of July and August the influences of this nuisance must be anything but healthful to the inhabitants. But for fear you think me suggesting an evil that to my mind ought to be overcome in every locality, and with which you are perfectly familiar, I will close. I only wish I could be of some service to your honorable body and to the people generally in this important matter.

Very respectfully,

Glenwood, Mills county, May 5, 1881.

O. W. ARCHIBALD, M. D.

REPLIES OF F. M. POWELL, M. D., OF HASTINGS, MILLS COUNTY.

The following is a report from memory for the year 1880:

*1. Incorporated town; number of inhabitants four huudred and fifty.

12. Malarial and summer complaints. 13. To the moderate amount of moisture in the atmosphere and even temperature of the season.

14. 15.

16. I have no record; had no cases of small-pox or cholera; of scarlet fever, a few cases of a mild type; typhoid fever, probably a dozen cases during the year, including typho-malaria; measles. but few cases; about twenty cases of diphtheria; one sporadic case of cerebrospinal meningitis.

17. Small-pox and cholera.

18. January and February-Catarrhal lung fever.

July and August-Summer complaint.
August and September-Malarial fevers,

19.

20.

*The figures at the beginning of paragraphs refer to Circular 23B, on pages 75-77.

I am in the habit to smoke my own house from cellar up, monthly, with sulphur, and also every house wherever I find typhoid fever, or especially diphtheria, and have reason to think it prevents spreading of the above mentioned diseases dis tinctly.

Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie county, March 26, 1881.

C. DEETKIN, M. D.

*The numbers at the beginning of paragraphs refer to questions in Circular 23B, pages 75-77.

REPLIES OF THOMAS B. LACEY, M. D., OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY.

*1. Eighteen thousand and fifty-nine. 2. City and county about 300; city 225.

3. Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie when so specified.

4. About the same average as with previous years; certainly no increased per cent.

5. Same answer as to question 4.

6. None; we had no epidemic of any

kind.

7.

8. There is no data upon which to base a definite reply. In my opinion there was no disease or cause of death perceptibly less prevalent except "found dead," and unknown causes.

9. Morals, and Jaw, and order. 10. I should judge that there was no increased mortality in proportion to the population.

11. None.

12. None.

13.

14. Am unable to answer.

15. None.

16. In city and county as per answer to question No. 3. Deaths only: Scarlet fever two; typhoid fever, about fifteen; measles, two, if my memory serves me right; whooping cough, four or five in infants; cerebro-spinal meningitis, one, I think; diphtheria, twelve or thirteen, as reported between August 1, 1880, and January 1, 1881; am unable to give whole number of cases.

20. Cannot answer.

21. I should say from my own observation, August, September, July, October, June, and November were, the driest in the order mentioned, and that January, February, March. April, May, and December would average about alike, with May, perhaps, a little dryer than the others.

22. During the months mentioned as the driest in answer to the 21st question. 23. I believe none.

24. Fifteen to eighteen feet; you will bear in mind that the principal part of our city is located on the bottom-land. Water can be reached in some localities at a depth of eight to twelve feet; but fifteen to eighteen feet will be the average for wells.

25. Have made no observations upon which to base an opinion even.

26. March, April, May, and December. 27. June, July, August, September, and October.

28. During the year two cases of sudden death in children were reported to our local medical society by Dr. H. W. Hart, which from the symptoms he was of the opinion they were cases of stramonium poisoning, the poison believed to have been conveyed through the milk of cows having eaten the stramonium while grazing. Both cases were in the same family, and both died within three or four hours of each other, and neither of them living more than twenty-four hours after showing first symptoms. There was no post-mortem or other examination, so that there was nothing absolute in regard to the case. Donelan of Glenwood reported having personal experience with similar trouble in his own family, and he believed from a similar source-no deaths, however. Yours respectfully,

17. Small-pox and cholera, and no case of cerebro-spinal meningitis in city corporation.

18. Am unable to answer this question. 19. In September, October, and November several cases of epizootic among horses, and in the summer chicken cholera among poultry.

Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie county, April 17, 1881.

THOS. B. LACEY, M. D.

Dr.

*The figures at the beginning of paragraphs refer to questions in Circular 23B, on pages 75-77.

LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.

Practical experience has demonstrated that chapter 151, laws of 1880, is very defective, and requires an important amendment to accomplish the intent of the framers of the law, and the object of the State Board.

The returns received at this office from the clerks of the district and Circuit Courts, give abundant evidence that physicians and those who solemnize marriages, neglect to observe the laws in making returns of their doings to the clerk as required by section five. For such violation, the clerk is authorized to bring an action for the recovery of the penalty provided, but he must do so at his own cost. Inasmuch as the fines and penalties recovered go into the county treasury, the county becomes the beneficiary of the recovery. This section should be so amended as to require the county or district attorney to prosecute without delay, to a final hearing, in the name of the State, on complaint of the clerk of the courts, all actions, under this section.

The value of vital statistics is in their completeness.

It is a common, I may say prevalent, impression, that vital statistics are of but little use, except to physicians and insurance companies. It seems strange that the eminently practical American mind which is so largely moved by pecuniary motives, does not readily discover the great importance of a full collection of the very few particulars of the three great events in human life-birth, marriage, and death.

The advantages to be derived from a registration of vital statistics may be briefly enumerated; to-wit,

1. Furnishing a reliable record of facts, which are frequently necessary in establishing right to, and the distribution of property. 2. Aiding in the detection of crime.

3. Determining the social condition of the people, and the influences which control the gradations in society.

4. In ascertaining the sickness and mortality, with reference to causes, and comparative prevalence in localities; and in furnishing the means to discover the influences which conduce to the prevalence, as well as the means of controlling them. Prevention is easier than cure. The arguments are unlimited which might be adduced to show