13. The date of the first case of each disease was as follows:

15. So far as known the sources from which the diseases were derived were as

follows:

Of small-pox.

Of scarlet fever.

Of measles...

Of cerebro-spinal meningitis.

Of.

16. I attribute the...

.in this*.

Of cholera

Of typhoid fever.

Of whooping-cough.
Of diphtheria

....during the year ending October 31,

1880, to the following causes or circumstances:

17. During the year ending October 31, 1880, the climatic conditions observed by me were as follows:

18. So far as I can ascertain... .fires have occurred in this........during the year ending October 31, 1880, from causes as follows:........and........lives were lost. ..persons injured in consequence thereof.

19. During the year ending October 31, 1880, I have attended... ...meetings of this board of health, and the following measures were adopted in the interest of public health:.. . . .

20. Cases of diseases dangerous to the public health now prevail at time of completing this report, as follows:

Of small-pox.

Of cholera..

Of scarlet fever.

.cases;

Of whooping-cough

.cases;

...cases;

Of typhoid fever.

Of measles

21. In my opinion the principal sources of danger to life or health in this*

..at the present time are as follows:.

My P. O. address is....

Thereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the statements in the foregoing report are correct.

Insert the word "township,"

city," or "town."

This is the term employed in the law. It includes all communicable diseases, whether epidemic, infectious, or contagious. as "deaths," "cases," etc., numbers should be stated if possible, either in words or figures, and "0" should be writthe item has been overlooked, and a dash should not be used in place of a cipher, ten where that expresses the truth; for the reason that a blank space indicates that because it is usually employed to indicate that a blank which should not be filled "If not sent, insert the syllable "out." figure or letter has not been overlooked.

"If not sent, insert the word "not." Insert the word " greater," 'less,' or the same,' as the fact may be. If much greater or less, say so.

Insert the number in figures.

If there is absolutely no case to report, the blank form for cases need not be sent in as a part of your report. But it is important to fill all the blanks after names of diseases on this form, with ciphers if that expresses the truth to show that you have no case of each disease

9766

After each disease insert the words "the disease was contracted in the city of or at the school in..... "in a room occupied by persons sick with the same disease........ (time) since," "by means of clothing worn by patient with same disease, etc., etc., as the facts may be. In the case of typhoid fever, if the privy was near the well, or within the dwelling, state the facts.

Insert the words "excessive mortality, fulness;" or otherwise express the facts.

'Please state whether any lamp explosion has occurred, and especially mention any injuries to persons thereby.

In the foregoing report, PLEASE FILL ALL BLANKS IN SOME WAY, TO SHOW THAT

NONE HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED.

Please answer the questions as they are printed, and in the blank left for the DO NOT CHANGE OR MARK OUT ANY OF THE PRINTED MATTER.

purpose.

BY-LAWS.

The following by-laws were reported by a special committee and adopted by the Board.

1.

1. The annual meeting of this Board shall be in May of each year.

2. The President and Secretary shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting, and shall hold their office for one year, unless sooner removed by a majority of the members present, for sufficient cause at any regular meeting, or at any meeting specially convened for that

purpose.

In case of a vacancy occurring as above, it shall be competent for a majority of the members present to elect another President, or Secretary at such stated or regular meeting, to fill such vacancy until the next annual meeting.

3. The duties of the President shall be such as ordinarily pertain to the presiding officer of deliberative bodies, together with the duties as are prescribed by the act of the General Assembly creating this Board. He shall also supervise and indorse all circulars and forms used by the Board and its Secretary.

4. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to notify members of the time of holding all special and regular meetings of the Board; keep a correct record of all such meetings; supervise the preparation and issuing of all forms and circulars ordered; submit them to the President for his supervision and indorsement; and perform all other duties usually performed by such officer of State Boards of Health, or may be directed by vote of this Board.

5. The Secretary shall have his annual report ready for the inspec

tion of the Board at its November meeting each year; and shall have a complete draft of the biennial report, together with a copy of all circulars and forms issued, or used by himself or the Board, ready at the November meeting preceding the session of the General Assembly. 6. The Secretary shall receive a salary at the rate of one thousand dollars per annum, payable as specified in chapter 151, laws of the Eighteenth General Assembly.

7. The President shall call a special meeting of the Board on the application of three members of the Board, at such time and place as may be specified.

STANDING COMMITTEES.

For the inauguration of a system whereby the work of the Board might be facilitated, standing committees were appointed, to whom were referred some of the most important sanitary and hygenic subjects. The subjects and name of the chairman of such committees are as follows:

Food, Drinks, and Water Supply—W. H. Dickinson, M. D.

Rest--Ephraim M. Reynolds, M. D.

Ventilation-Justin M. Hull, M. D.

Education-Relation of Schools to Health-Kind and Methods of Instruction in use, and Methods to be Proposed-Geo. F. Roberts, M. D.

Sewerage, Drainage, and Disposal of Excreta.-James L. Loring, civil engineer.

Influence of Slaughter-houses, Rendering-houses, etc., on Public Health.-Philip W. Lewellen, M. D.

Endemics, Epidemics, and Contagious Diseases.-Henry H. Clark,

M. D.

Legislation Relating to the State Board of Health.-William S.

Robertson.

CIRCULARS,

The following circular, directed to the health physician of local boards, was sent to each township and city clerk in the State, together with blank form 1C.

TO HEALTH PHYSICIANS.

FORM 8B.]

TO THE HEALTH OFFICER:

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH,
DES MOINES Iowa, October 1, 1880.

}

SIR-I herewith send you a blank form (1C) for your use in making your annual report to this Board, required by law,* for the year ending October 31.

PLEASE FILL OUT AND RETURN THIS REPORT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The blank form is somewhat similar to one which we sent to the clerk of your board, but your report should be made according to your best knowledge, leaving his report to be made by him according to his best knowedge. If each of you will report the cases reported to himself we will then know the total number of cases reported, and to which class of officers the greatest number of reports are made; and if we have estimates of the probable number of cases not reported, made by two different persons in each locality, we may gain a good idea of the actual condition of the public health and of the public-health service in the different parts of the State. As soon as sufficiently accurate and complete reports are received from such a proportion of the localities as will be fairly representative, it is designed that they shall be compiled and published. General truths concerning the entire State cannot well be reached by compilation of reports when only the best, or poorest townships of many counties are represented; it is, therefore, important that every health officer shall make a report. For a similar reason, every blank should be filled. If no sickness has occurred within your jurisdiction, or if there has been no case of any disease concerning which a report is asked, it is important to state that fact, and the reason, if known, for such healthfulness, and also the population, etc., in the blank spaces provided for those statements in the report. It is also important to fill the blanks for the probable number of cases of diseases not reported to you. It is necessary to have uniform blank forms, because it is impossible to compile from letters and postal-cards, on account of the time required to search through them; and for this reason every fact to which this report relates should be entered in its proper place in the report.

Your report should be made out for the exact territory over which your board has jurisdiction, and for which you are the health officer, and it should not include anything outside of such jurisdiction. A township board of health does not have jurisdiction in an incorporated town or city, even though such city or town be situated within the limits of the township. If you have been appointed health officer for a township and an incorporated cit or town, it is necessary that you make separate reports for each, just as separate as if they were made by different persons.

* Chapter 151, laws of 1880, section 15. It shall be the duty of the health physician and also the clerk of the local board of health of every incorporated town, and also the clerk of the local board of health of each incorporated town or village, township, city, and village in the State, at least once a year,

to report to the State Board of Health their proceedings, and such such other facts required, on blanks and in accordance with instructions received from said State Board. They shall also make special reports whenever required to do so by the State Board of Health.

Please ascertain and report, as completely as possible, the causes of all fires within your jurisdiction during the year, also the number of lives lost, and of persons injured in consequence thereof.

I send you a blank sheet for your report of cases of diseases dangerous to the public health, that you may have a knowledge of the report required. If you have more cases to report than can be reported upon one side of a sheet, please write to this office for blanks, stating the additional number of sheets you need. You will find blank spaces for this near the middle of the first page of the blank form 1C.

The blank which I send for your report of cases of diseases is recommended by this Board as a proper form for a record of such cases; to be retained in your office. Your attention is respectfully asked to chapter No. 151, laws of 1880, relative to duties of health officers of cities and towns. It is recommended that your board of health have copies of the law thoroughly distributed within your jurisdiction, in order to call attention to the law, and secure material for a complete record in your office, relating to diseases which endanger the public health.

It is not expected that it will always be possible to fill every column of your record; but so much as it is possible to learn concerning each case should be recorded and reported, because the single fact of the number of cases of sickness from each such disease will be of value in connection with the records of deaths and other knowledge collected at this office. It is hoped that you will not fail to record all cases of such diseases under your care.

In case any disease should appear in your locality as an epidemic, please make a special report of the fact to this office as soon as possible. It is also expected that you will study and record the conditions coincident with the rise, progress, and decline of any such epidemic, and in due time report the same to this Board. Concerning every such occurrence you should be able to report some facts which will be of use in advancing the cause of public health.

By direction of the State Board of Health.

Please preserve and file the circulars which you receive from this office.

SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.

[FORM 6B.]

TO THE HEALTH OFFICERS OF........

Will you please send, as soon as possible, in the enclosed directed and stamped envelope, answers to the following questions:

1. Please state the name of your city.

2. How many inhabitants in your city?

3. How many butchers or meat-market men are there?

4. How many places for slaughtering animals.

5. How many animals are annually slaughtered, specifying the number of