was a little greater than that of 1885 (43), and a little less than that of 1884 (45.3), and considerably less than the average of the ten years (1871-1880).

The death-rate per thousand of the estimated living population of the reporting cities and towns was .85.

Puerperal Fever.

The total number of deaths reported from this disease was 39; the weekly average was less than 1.

No deaths were reported in the months of June and August.

The ratio per thousand reported deaths from all causes was 1.76.

The ratio per thousand of the living population was .034. Whooping Cough, Erysipelas, Malarial Fever, Small-Pox. The reported deaths from these diseases were as follows:

The ratio of mortality from these diseases per thousand deaths was as follows:

The mortality per thousand of the estimated living population was as follows:

The mortality from whooping-cough was greater than that

of 1885, and much less than that of 1884.

Malarial Fever.

The total number of deaths from malarial fever, as reported, was but thirteen. The mortality from this disease in its recent appearance in Massachusetts has been but slight, and the reports of the few fatal cases do not come from the districts which have suffered most severely from the prevalence of the disease. The epidemic of malarial fever which appeared at South Framingham in 1885,* and attacked about 200 persons, was followed by its reappearance with increased severity in 1886, and also by a wider field of prevalence, the course of the disease appearing to follow the direction of Beaver Dam Brook,-from South Framingham toward Natick and the borders of Lake Cochituate.

The thirteen reported deaths were distributed as follows:

Eastern counties: Boston, two; New Bedford, two; Fitchburg, Lowell and Lawrence, one each.

Western counties: Springfield, four; Northampton, two. One death occurred in January, three in February, none in March, April, May or June; one in July, three in August, three in September and two in December.

SMALL-POX.

The immunity of the State from this disease during the year has been more marked than that of any previous year of its history, so far as can be learned from any data that are known.

Three cases only, including one death, have come to the knowledge of the Board during the year; and in regard to the fatal case there also appears to be a doubt. The facts

relative to the three reported cases are as follows:

1. Case at Blackstone, January, 1886. Extract from report of Dr. Cummings to the Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity, dated Jan. 8, 1886:

On Dec. 17, 1885, two French families came to the town of Blackstone from the town of Sorel, Province of Quebec. About two weeks after their arrival a child of one of the families died

* See Supplement to Seventh Annual Report of State Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity. Report by Dr. Z. B. Adams of Framingham, page 3. A