those of the European Squadron, 0.75; in the Asiatic Squadron, 0.76; on the Northwestern Lakes, 0.24; and on the receiving ships, 0.68. The ratios for the previous year were 0.77, 0.68, 0.86, 0.83, 0.75, 0.41, and 0.72, respectively.

The admissions for general infectious diseases (non-venereal) were in the ratio of 127.17 per 1,000, as against 128.46 for 1896; diseases of the nervous system, 54.16 (previous year 66.40); diseases of the digestive apparatus, 112.91 (previous year 119.90); diseases of the respiratory apparatus, 51.04 (previous year 60.23), and of venereal diseases and diseases of the genito-urinary apparatus, 98.98, as against 98.44 for 1896.

The deaths numbered 34, which is in the ratio of 2.79 per 1,000, being a slight increase over the deaths afloat for 1896 (2.67 per 1,000).

The number invalided from service was 59, the ratio per 1,000 of force being 4.83, as against 4.21 for the previous year.

There were 1,168 transfers to hospital, giving a ratio of 95.71 per 1,000, as against 81.41 for 1896.

THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE awaits the action of Congress for improvement. Meanwhile the Marine Hospital Service is proceeding with eminently praiseworthy action in the initiation of preventive measures against the toleration of yellow fever in, and its exportation from, our new West India possessions.

The National Board of Trade at its recent session in Washington, Dec. 14,

"Resolved, That the National Board of Trade reaffirms its declaration in favor of a national quarantine law, and, further, most respectfully urges upon the Congress of the United States the establishment of a National Board of Health."—

Thus eliminating the New York Board of Trade's resolution, a week before, endorsing and urging the Spooner blanket bill, and leaving the question open for such amendments to existing laws as would evolve a national board or bureau on the existing basis. of the Marine Hospital Service.

The December number of the Memphis "Medical Journal" contains an elaborate article under the caption of "National Control of Epidemic Diseases," by Dr. Kraus, of Memphis, member of the Tennessee State Board of Health, which cleverly states the embarrassments that would be likely to follow the establishment of

a board or "department of health, composed of an advisory aggregation of forty odd members," as provided for in the Spooner bill. Indeed, such a board, constituted of the same heterogeneous and conflicting interests as have obtained hitherto, could hardly be otherwise than the perpetuation of the same obstacles to commerce and sanitation as have characterized all previous attempts at reconciliation among themselves or with the national quarantine service. Dr. Kraus points out with emphasis the fact that the Marine Hospital Service is the only medical organization that has been systematically accumulating experience and information on the control of epidemic diseases. Moreover, he cites not only the successful administration of its twenty-four quarantine stations on the seaboard, but its investigations and service in other respects:

"It examines life-savers, pilots and candidates for the revenue service, and inspects immigrants at eight important ports of entry; it has investigated scurvy, cholera, yellow fever, small-pox and the plague, with special reference to their causation and prevention; and in its hygienic laboratory has studied diphtheria, pneumonia, vaccinia, small-pox, and typhoid and malarial fevers, and has tested various disinfectants; it has instituted inquiries concerning water supplies and the disposal of sewage and garbage in cities and towns, and has investigated cases of water pollution; it has studied foreign and domestic quarantine administration, from which it has collected and tabulated sanitary reports and statistics of great value, etc.

"It is also conducting a hygienic school for State and local health officers. This effectually disposes of the argument that the Marine Hospital Service is only a service for sick sailors.

"In view of all that has been said, then, I believe that Congress should empower the Marine Hospital Service to take entire charge of epidemic work, with a local officer at each important point, whose duty it should be to give personal attention to all diseases of an epidemic character. The details of the Caffery amendment are in the main satisfactory. Local and State boards should have only secondary jurisdiction in such matters, and only so far as they and their own communities are concerned. They would have ample scope in general sanitation and management of endemic diseases, the same as in States not threatened with epidemics."

MORTALITY REPORTS.

Correspondents under this head are particularly requested to be as prompt as possible.

State of New York, 6,789,313, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 9,632; under 5 years, 2,868; annual death rate per 1,000, 16.50; from typhoid fever, 281; diphtheria, 180; phthisis, 1,052; acute respiratory diseases, 1,044.

City of New York, 3,438,899, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 5,096; under 5 years, 1,377; annual death rate per 1,000, 18.0; from typhoid fever, 109; diphtheria, 107; phthisis, 630; actute respiratory diseases, 703.

Borough of Manhattan, 1,911,755, Oct., '98: Total deaths,
2,852; under 5 years, 1,051; annual death rate per 1,000,
18.0; from typhoid fever, 56; diphtheria, 64; phthisis,
324; acute respiratory diseases, 437.

Borough of the Bronx, 137,035, Oct., '98: Total deaths,
308; under 5 years, 88; annual death rate per 1,000, 27.0;
from typhoid fever, 3; diphtheria, 3; phthisis, 89; acute
respiratory diseases, 30.
Borough of Brooklyn, 1,197,100, Oct., '98: Total deaths,
1,655; under 5 years, 626; annual death rate per 1,000,
16.2; from typhoid fever, 45; diphtheria, 34; phthisis,
189; acute respiratory diseases, 211.

Borough of Queens, 128,042, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 170;
under 5 years, 72; annual death rate per 1,000, 16.0; from
typhoid fever, 4; diphtheria, 4; phthisis, 14; acute respi-
ratory diseases, 15.

Borough of Richmond, 64,927, Oct., '98: Total deaths, III; under 5 years, 40; annual death rate per 1,000, 20.5; from typhoid fever, I; diphtheria, 2; phthisis, 14; acute respiratory diseases, 10.

Albany, N. Y., 100,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 156; under 5 years, 36; annual death rate per 1,000, 18.7; from typhoid fever, 5; diphtheria, 4; phthisis, 24; acute respiratory diseases, 17. Troy, N. Y., 65,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 105; under 5 years, 31; annual death rate per 1,000, 19.3; from typhoid fever, 7; diphtheria, I; phthisis, 12; acute respiratory diseases, 17. Utica, N. Y., 55,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 83; under 5 years, 24; annual death rate per 1,000, 18.1; from diphtheria, 4; phthisis, 12; acute respiratory diseases, 5.

Syracuse, N. Y., 120,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 126; under 5 years, 22; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.6; from typhoid fever, 8; diphtheria, 4: phthisis, 17; acute respiratory diseases, 5. Buffalo, N. Y., 360,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 362; under 5 years, 106; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.0; from typhoid fever, I diphtheria, 9: phthisis, 35; acute respiratory diseases, 42. Rochester, N. Y., 175,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 178; under 5 years, 48; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.2; from typhoid fever, 5; diphtheria, 3; phthisis, 12; acute respiratory diseases, 18. Yonkers, N. Y., 40,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 67; under 5 years, 30; annual death rate per 1,000, 20.2; from diphtheria, 1; phthisis, 7; acute respiratory diseases, II.

Cohoes, N. Y., 24,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 36; under 5 years, 13; annual death rate per 1,000, 18.0; from typhoid fever, 4; phthisis, 2; acute respiratory diseases, 3.

Kingston, N. Y., 25,500, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 30; under 5 years, 7; annual death rate per 1,000, 15.0; from phthisis, 4; acute respiratory diseases, 1.

Poughkeepsie, N. Y., 23,200, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 38; under 5 years, 8; annual death rate per 1,000, 19.0; from typhoid fever, I; diphtheria, 2; phthisis, 5; acute respiratory diseases, 4. Newburgh, N. Y., 24,536, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 34; under 5 years, 6; annual death rate per 1,000, 16.0; from typhoid fever, 2; phthisis, 6; acute respiratory diseases, 2.

Schenectady, N. Y., 24,374, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 22; under 5 years, 7; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.0; from phthisis, 3; acute respiratory diseases, 3. Binghamton, N. Y., 34,514, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 34; under 5 years, 9; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.0; from typhoid fever, I; diphtheria, I; phthisis, 5; acute respiratory diseases, 1. Elmira, N. Y., 30,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 37; under 5 years, 5; annual death rate per 1,000, 14.8; from typhoid fever, 3; phthisis, 4.

Oswego, N. Y., 22,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 27; under 5 years, 7; annual death rate per 1,000, 14.7; from typhoid fever, 2; phthisis, 2; acute respiratory diseases, 1.

San Francisco, Cal., 360,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 586; under 5 years, 126; annual death rate per 1,000, 19.5; from typhoid fever, 14; diphtheria, 6; phthisis, 50; acute respiratory diseases,

41.

Denver, Col., 167,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 158; under 5 years, 25; annual death rate per 1,000, 9.6; from typhoid fever, 9; diphtheria, 7; phthisis, 24; acute respiratory diseases, 18. Connecticut, 168 towns, 890,160, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 1,109; under 5 years, 308; annual death rate per 1,000, 14.9; from typhoid fever, 44; diphtheria, 28; phthisis, 111; acute respiratory diseases, 97.

New Haven, Conn., 112,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 125; under 5 years, 43; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.7; from typhoid fever, 7; diphtheria, 1; phthisis, 13; acute respiratory diseases,

14.

Hartford, Conn., 80,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 113; under 5 years, 25; annual death rate per 1,000, 14.1; from typhoid fever, 12; diphtheria, 2; phthisis, 13; acute respiratory diseases, 6.

Bridgeport, Conn., 65,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 82; under 5 years, 29; annual death rate per 1,000, 14.7; from diphtheria, 5; phthisis, 11; acute respiratory diseases, 5.

Waterbury, Conn., 45,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 49; under 5 years, 23: annual death rate per 1,000, 13.0; from typhoid fever, 3; diphtheria, 2; phthisis, 3; acute respiratory diseases, 4. District of Columbia, 280,250, 4 weeks. Nov. 26, '98: Total deaths, 436; under 5 years, 103; annual death rate per 1,000, 20.1; from typhoid fever, 20; diphtheria, 27; phthisis, 56; acute respiratory diseases, 36.

Florida, 45 counties, 391,422, Sept., '98: Total deaths, 678; under 5 years, 176; annual death rate per 1,000, 19.8; from typhoid fever, 198; diphtheria, 2; phthisis, 28; acute respiratory diseases, 19.

Chicago, Ill., 1,750,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 1,607; under 5

years, 497; annual death rate per 1,000, 13.9; from typhoid fever, 62; diphtheria, 59; phthisis, 163; acute respiratory diseases, 150. Indiana, 87 counties, July, '98: Total deaths, 4,364; from typhoid fever, 248; diphtheria, 89; phthisis, 462; acute respiratory diseases, 80.

Dubuque, Iowa, 45,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 31; annual death rate per 1,000, 8.2; from typhoid fever, 3; diphtheria, 5; phthisis, 2; acute respiratory diseases, I.

Davenport, Iowa, 36,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 28; annual death rate per 1,000, 9.3; from diphtheria, 2; phthisis, 2; acute respiratory diseases, 1.

Baltimore, Md., 506,398, Sept., '98: Total deaths, 870; under 5 years, 366; annual death rate per 1,000, 20.6; from typhoid fever, 33; diphtheria, 45; phthisis, 60; acute respiratory dis

eases, 42.

Boston, Mass., 528,912, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 896; under 5 years, 302; annual death rate, 20.3; from typhoid fever, 33; diphtheria, 9; phthisis, 102; acute respiratory diseases, 127. Michigan, 2,170,350, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 2,414; under 5 years, 662; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.3; from typhoid fever, 108; diphtheria, 45; phthisis, 208; acute respiratory diseases, 114. Detroit, Mich., 300,000, year June 30, '98: Total deaths, 4,604; under 5 years, 809; annual death rate per 1,000, 19.6; from typhoid fever, 48; diphtheria, 125; phthisis, 236; acute respiratory diseases, 485.

St. Paul, Minn., 215,582, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 126; under 5 years, 45; annual death rate per 1,000, 7.0; from diphtheria, 16; phthisis, 17; acute respiratory diseases, 5.

Minneapolis, Minn., 225,602, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 147; under 5 years, 38; annual death rate per 1,000, 9.0; from typhoid fever, 10; diphtheria, 6; phthisis, 17; acute respiratory diseases, 14. St. Louis, Mo., 623,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 629; under 5 years, 191; annual death rate per 1,000, 12.0; from typhoid fever, 12; diphtheria, 12; phthisis, 77; acute respiratory diseases, 55. Kansas City, Mo., 200,000, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 159; under 5 years, 44; annual death rate per 1,000, 9.5; from typhoid fever, 4; diphtheria, 4; phthisis, 2; acute respiratory diseases, 3. Newark, N. J., 235,000, 3 weeks, Nov. 19. '98: Total deaths, 202; under 5 years, 99; annual death rate per 1,000, 14.8; from typhoid fever, 5; diphtheria, 14; phthisis, 30; acute respiratory diseases, 39.

Paterson, N. J., 113,116, Oct., '98: Total deaths, 166; under 5 years, 65; annual death rate per 1,000, 14.6; from typhoid fever, 8; diphtheria, 5; phthisis, 17; acute respiratory diseases, 10.