Secretary's Report.

Transactions State Medical Society, Pennsylvania, 1888; vol. 20; from E. Jackson, M. D.

Transactions Medical and Chirurgical Faculty, Maryland, 1888; from G. L. Taneyhill, M. D., Secretary.

Report on Compulsory Notification of Infectious Diseases; from S. W. North, Medical Officer of Health, York, England.

Fourteenth Annual Report Cincinnati Sanitarium, 1887; from O. Everts M. D. Supt.

Thirty-fifth Annual Report Training School for Feeble Minded Children, Elwy, Pa., from I. N. Kerlin, M. D., Supt. Report of the Agricultural Station, University of Wisconsin, Madison; from Prof. W. A. Henry, Director.

Bulletins Essex Institute, Essex, Mass.; from the Institute.

Bulletins of the Agricultural Station, University of Wisconsin, Madison; from Prof. W. A. Henry, Director.

Water Purification for Steam Boilers; from the Author, W. Tweddale, Esq.

Drainage of a House; from the Author, W. P. Gerhard, C. E.

Are Dipsomania, Kleptomania, etc., legitimate forms of Mental Disease? From the author, O. Everts, M. D.

Southern Cattle Plague and Yellow Fever; from the Author, F. S. Billings, D. V. S.

Report on Analysis of Water on Saginaw river; from Hon. J. J. Wheeler.

Causation of Pneumonia; from Author, H. B. Baker, M. D., Secretary S. B. H., Michigan.

Life and Death in New Orleans and Other Cities compared; from the Author, S. E. Chaille, M. D.

Swine Plague; from the Author, F. S. Billings, D. V. S. Extent and Distribution of Consumption in New Hamp

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shire; from the Author, I. A. Watson M. D. Secretary S. B. H.

The Board has also been regularly in receipt of the monthly Bulletins published by the State Boards of Health of Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee; also of Building, a weekly magazine, devoted to the special subject from which it takes its name, including the sanitary considerations involved, for which the Board is indebted to the kindness of the publishers, Messrs. Comstock of New York City; the Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal, the organ of the State Board of Health of California, is also regularly forwarded by Messrs. Bonestell & Co., the publishers.

The following works have been purchased during the year for the use of the Board: Transactions of the American Public Health Association, Vol. 12, Transactions of the Inter-National Medical Congress, Reference Hand-Book of Medical Science, Cassell's Encyclopedia Dictionary, Stille on Asiatic Cholera. The following periodicals are also regularly received: Popular Science Monthly, Popular Science News, Wisconsin Journal of Education, Annals of Hygiene, Medical Record, Sanitary News, Sanitary Record, Sanitarian, Index Medicus, U. S. Postal Guide, Sanitary Journal, Engineering Record and Sanitary Engineer, Medical News, Journal Medical Science.

EXPENSES.

The expenses of the board for the year, so far as the bills have been audited and allowed, are covered by vouchers numbered from 835 to 928, inclusive, all of which have been examined by your committee on Finance, and have subsequently received your approval. A classified statement of the various objects for which these expenditures have been made is appended hereto.

There are some accounts which properly belong in the year's expenses, not included in the above statement, the bills therefor not having as yet received examination at the hands of your committee.

In conclusion, I do not know that I can do better than reiterate in substance what was said in closing my report of last year. Much good work has been done by local boards of health and health officers, or at their suggestion during the year just ended; probably more than ever before in the same space of time in this state. While congratulating the people on this fact, and on the general good health that has been the rule through the year, I must still call attention to the fact that more and better work still remains to be done, that constant vigilance is the price of continued immunity 'from contagious disease, no less than the price of political liberty and of all the blessings enjoyed by a free people living under their own government. No earthly blessing is comparable to that of good health; without this many other advantages lose a large part of their value, but medical science is constantly showing us that the possession of this great boon is largely dependent upon ourselves. If knowing that contagious disease is approaching us, or that it has effected a lodgment among us, we sit down and lament the mysterious dealings of Providence, but do nothing for our own safety or that of those dear to us and dependent upon

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us, we shall surely suffer in ourselves or in them, and deservedly. On the other hand it is true in dealing with many forms of sickness as in other affairs of life, that Providence helps those that endeavor to help themselves, or to quote the saying of the first Napoleon: "Providence is frequently observed to be on the side having the heaviest artillery," and the more so if the artillery be well directed and skilfully served. Let us, then, make use of the knowledge that Providence, through the medium of sanitary science, has placed in our hands; having done this to the best of our ability, we shall have earned the right to call on Providence for further help, but it may well be that we shall find our prayers answered even before they are offered up.

I cannot close this report without again acknowledging the continued and valued assistance of Prof. T. W. Chittenden, who has been associated with me in office work for several years, and by whom many of the details of the work of the office have been efficiently performed during the year covered by this report.

Very respectfully,

J. T. REEVE, M. D.,

APPLETON, Wis., October 31, 1888.

Secretary.

6-B. H.

Laws Relating to the Public Health.

LAWS RELATING TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

COMPILED BY DIRECTION OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH FOR THE USE OF LOCAL HEALTH BOARDS AND HEALTH OFFICERS.

In response to inquiries from health officers and members of local boards of health for information with regard to the health laws of the state, and in view of the facts that sundry more or less important changes in, and additions, to those laws have been made since the revision of the statutes in 1878, and that many of these changes and additions are scattered through the several volumes of general laws printed since that date, thus being practically inaccessible to numerous officers, to whom, nevertheless, some knowledge of them is essential for the proper discharge of the duties committed to their hands, the State Board of Health has prepared the following summary.

It embodies, 1st, the provisions of law relating to the State Board of Health, so far as these concern or affect local boards or the performance of the work of such boards; 2d, the law respecting the organization of local boards and the appointment of their executive officers, together with the sections of the revised statutes which define their powers; 3d, general provisions of law bearing directly or indirectly on matters relating to the public health; 4th, such other provisions and requirements as have interest and value in connection with health laws or the organization and work of the boards of health.