19, 20, 21; consumption, 50, 55, 39; diphtheria, 18, 15, 15; typhoid fever, 39, 35, 5; whooping cough, 12, 5, 0; violence 15, 61, 53.

The Typhoid Bacillus and Lemon Juice.

There would seem to be sound hygienic wisdom as well as good dietetic taste in the use of lemon juice with raw oysters. Scores of local outbreaks of typhoid fever have been traced to oystersamong the more notable recent ones that at Atlantic City last fall, that among Yale students a year ago or more, and that following a mayoral banquet in England only a short time since, and which numbered among its victims the Dean of Winchester. The Department advises those eating raw oysters to drench them with lemon juice in view of the following:

On Christmas morning a cable dispatch from London was published in Chicago, announcing the discovery by Dr. Asa Ferguson, of the former city, that lemon juice has the power of destroying the typhoid fever germ or bacillus. The commissioner immediately caused an investigation to be made by the Laboratory experts. At the close of office hours on Saturday they were able to corroborate Dr. Ferguson's claim and to make-in non-technical language the statement that lemon juice, in the proportion of one teaspoonful to half a glass-about four ounces of typhoid-infected water, is sufficient to destroy the vitality of the contained germs and thus to prevent their production of the toxin or poison which causes typhoid fever.

Dr. W. H. Park, bacteriologist of the Department of Health of New York City, however, after several experiments, December 30-31, to determine the value of lemon juice in destroying typhoid bacilli, and microscopical examinations of cultures of typhoid bacilli which had been subjected to the action of the lemon juice, reports that, although the acid killed the micro-organisms, it required too much acid and too much time for the chemical action to take place to render lemon juice a practical agent for their destruction. Dr. Park's negative opinion in regard to the efficacy of the acid as a typhoid prophylactic was corroborated, for after the bacilli had been acted upon by a 5 per cent. solution of the acid for thirty minutes it was found that all of them had not been destroyed. The culture that had been subjected to a 1 per cent. solution showed in thirty minutes one-fifth as many colonies as the untreated culture, while in the case of the one-tenth of 1 per cent. solution there were half as many colonies at the end of half an hour as there had been in the original untreated mixture. Motile

bacilli in small numbers were still visible in a drop of the 5 per cent. solution, after thirty minutes' treatment. It is far safer, he thinks, to boil the water or filter it properly than to trust to lemon juice to destroy any typhoid bacilli that may be in it. Of course, the statement that the acid would destroy any typhoid germs that might be contained in oysters by sprinkling it on the outside is ridiculous.

INDIANA. The Secretary of the State Board of Health reports for November, 1902: Small-pox, for the 22d consecutive month, was the most prevalent disease; 441 cases were reported, with 2 deaths, in 40 counties. In the corresponding month last year there were reported 186 cases, with 2 deaths, in 15 counties. This comparison shows an increase of 137 per cent. in the number of cases, and 166 per cent. of area which was invaded, the deaths being the same. In October, typhoid fever was the second most prevalent disease, but in November rheumatism takes second place. According to the reports, the order of prevalence was as follows: Small-pox, rheumatism, tonsillitis, bronchitis, typhoid fever, pneumonia, influenza, intermittent fever, scarlet fever, pleuritis, diphtheria and croup, diarrhoea, erysipelas, whooping cough, inflammation of bowels, cerebro-spinal meningitis, dysentery, cholera morbus, measles, puerperal fever, and cholera infantum.

The total number of deaths reported was 2,406, a death rate of 11.6. The rate for the corresponding month last year was the same. Deaths, according to important ages, were: Under-1 year of age, 355, or 15 per cent. of the total number; from 1 to 5, 178 deaths, or 7.9 per cent.; 5 to 10, 72, or 3.2 per cent.; 10 to 15, 65, or 2.8 per cent; 65 and over, 579, or 25.7 per cent. From important causes, the number of deaths and rates per 100,000 were: Pulmonary tuberculosis, 279, rate 135.2. Other forms of tuberculosis, 30, rate 14.5. Typhoid fever, 146, rate 70.7. Diphtheria, 59, rate 28.6. Scarlet fever, 24, rate 11.6. Whooping cough, 12, rate 5.8. Pneumonia, 181, rate 87.7.

The cities, representing a population of 857,845, show a death rate of 15.5. This is an increase as compared with the corresponding month last year, and it is 3.9 more than the average for the State. The city tuberculosis rate was 153.5 per 100,000, which is 18.3 more than the State rate. The typhoid rate was 82.4 per 100,000, or 11.7 more than the State rate. The country shows a death rate of 9.7, and also a lower death rate than the

cities for pulmonary tuberculosis, typhoid fever, diphtheria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, puerperal fever, cancer and violence.

LOUISIANA. New Orleans, 305,000-81,500 colored. Report for November: Total deaths, 580-187 colored; 128 under 5 years -47 colored. Annual death rate, white, 17.23; colored, 27.53: 19.95. Deaths from typhoid fever, 11-3 colored; tuberculosis of the lungs, white, 32; colored, 20; cancer, 18-5 colored.

MASSACHUSETTS.-Boston, 589.838. The report for October: Deaths, 960-323 under 5 years. Death rate, 19.53. Deaths from typhoid fever, 23; smallpox, 10; scarlatina, 8; whooping cough, 16; croup and diphtheria, 22; cerebro-spinal meningitis, 6; tubercle of the lungs, 100; other tubercular diseases, 16; bronchitis, 39; broncho-pneumonia, 37; pneumonia, 57; heart disease, 82; acute nephritis, 35; Bright's disease, 8; cancer, 47. Contagious and infectious diseases reported: Cerebrospinal meningitis, 2; diphtheria and croup, 195; pulmonary and laryngeal tuberculosis, 74; measles, 22; scarlatina, 101; smallpox, 55; typhoid fever, 171; chickenpox, 16.

MICHIGAN. The Secretary of the State Board of Health reports for November, 1902, compared with the preceding month: Tonsillitis, influenza, pleuritis, pneumonia, measles, smallpox and meningitis were more prevalent; and typhoid fever, intermittent fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria, cholera morbus, cholera infantum and dysentery were less prevalent. Compared with the average for November in the 10 years, 1892-1901, pleuritis, measles, smallpox and meningitis were more than usually prevalent; and consumption, typhoid fever. intermittent fever, erysipelas, remittent fever, cholera morbus, cholera infantum and dysentery were less than usually prevalent.

The Most Dangerous Communicable Diseases.-Meningitis was reported present at 7 places; whooping cough at 27 places; smallpor at 31 places; measles at 48 places; diphtheria at 78 places ; typhoid fever at 119 places; scarlet fever at 143 places; and consumption at 240 places. Meningitis at 1 place more; whooping cough at 8 places less; smallpox at 7 places more; measles at 6 places more; diphtheria at 7 places more; typhoid fever at 54 places less; scarlet fever at 5 places less; and consumption at I place less, in the month of November, 1902, than in the preceding month.

Deaths reported to the Department of State for the month of November, 2,357, a decrease of 3 from the preceding month. The rate was 11.7 per 1,000 population, as compared with 11.4 for October. There were 409 deaths of infants under 1 year; 159 deaths of children aged 1 to 4 years, inclusive, and 703 deaths of elderly persons aged over 65 years. Important causes of death were as follows: Pulmonary tuberculosis, 129; other forms of tuberculosis, 34; typhoid fever, 65: diphtheria and croup, 51; scarlet fever, 25; measles, 7; smallpox, 1; whooping cough, 23; pneumonia, 201; diarrhoea and enteritis, under 2 years, 57; cancer, 127; accidents and violence, 155.

MINNESOTA.-Minneapolis, 240,000. Registry of deaths for November, 1902: Deaths, 200-45 under five years; death rate for year ending November 30, 11.II. Deaths from typhoid fever, 10; tubercle of the lungs, 20; other forms of tuberculosis, I; diphtheria and croup, II; cancer, 10.

St. Paul, 170,000.-Report for November, 1902: Deaths, 10023 under five years; death rate, 7.05; deaths from typhoid fever, 5; diphtheria, 2; tuberculosis of the lungs, 9; cancer, 7.

MISSOURI St. Louis, 621,000-39,000 colored. Report for November, 1902: Deaths, 763-200 under five years. The annual death rate per 1,000 during the month was, white, 13.95; colored, 26.46: 14.73. Deaths from scarlet fever, 20; diphtheria. and croup, 18; whooping cough, 3; typhoid fever, 31; fevers, 9; pulmonary tuberculosis, 88; bronchitis, 24; pneumonia, 45; other diseases of the respiratory organs, 28; cancer, 27.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.-Report of the Commission on State Sanitarium for Consumptives: Tabulated statistics of deaths from consumption for 18 years, 12,937; annual average, 783; percentage of deaths from tuberculosis to total mortality from all causes, 11.26, ranging from 14.93-the highest, in 1884-to 9.04, the lowest in 1899. The need of such a sanitarium is urged, and demonstrated by examples of the beneficial results of their adoption in Massachusetts, in the Adirondacks, N. Y., and elsewhere, illustrated by plans of construction and descriptions of management.

NEW JERSEY.-Hudson County (Jersey City and environs), 409,810. Report for October, 1902: Deaths, 521-179 under

five years; death rate, 15.2; deaths from diphtheria and croup, 20; typhoid fever, 6; all zymotic diseases, 60; consumption, 70; bronchitis, 12; pneumonia, 42.

Newark, 255,000. Report for the week ending December 6: Deaths, 94-28 under 5 years; death rate, 19.16. Deaths from diphtheria and croup, 4; phthisis, 9; bronchitis, 7; broncho-pneumonia, 4; pneumonia, 7; cancer, 2. Contagious and infectious diseases reported: diphtherian-croup, 29; scarlet fever, 31; typhoid fever, 6.

NORTH CAROLINA.-Bulletin of State Board reports for October, 1902: Twenty-six towns with an aggregate population of white, 83,300; colored, 58,850: 142,150. Aggregate deaths, 263 -156 colored; 93 under five years of age; still born, 26. Death rates, white, 15.5; colored, 31.6: 22.2.

Deaths from typhoid fever, 18; malarial fever, 16; consumption, 30; diarrhoeal diseases, 31; smallpox reported in nineteen counties, an aggregate of 220 cases, no deaths.

OHIO. Cleveland, 400,000. Report for November, 1902: Deaths, 463-129 under 5 years; annual death rate, 18.89. Deaths from typhoid fever, 12; smallpox, 18; scarlatina, 5; diphtheria and croup, 27; tuberculosis of lungs, 29; bronchitis, 15; pneumonia, 41; heart diseases, 47; Bright's, 17; cancer, 18.

PENNSYLVANIA.-Philadelphia, 1,349,712. Report for week ended December 27, 1902: Deaths, 535-149 under five years. Deaths from consumption, 60; typhoid fever, 14; diphtheria and croup, 16; whooping cough, 5; cancer, 21.

Pittsburg, 346,000. Report of the Bureau of Health for week ended December 20, 1902: Deaths, 138-39 under five years; annual death rate, 20.74. Deaths from typhoid fever, 7; smallpox, 10; consumption, 21; pneumonia, 22; bronchitis, 7; cancer, I. Cases of infectious diseases reported: Smallpox, 36; diphtheria and croup, 20; scarlet fever, 12; typhoid fever, 23.

TENNESSEE.-Memphis, 120,000-54,000 colored. Deaths, 176 -90 colored; under five years, 3! Death rates, white, 15.63; colored, 19.99: 17.59. Deaths from typhoid fever, 5; other fevers, 20; scarlatina, 3; tubercle of lungs, 24-17 colored; cancer, 7. Report for year 1901: Population, 110,000-49,000 colored.