These observations deal with only one or two species of mosquitoes and are limited in number and circumstances, but if they should be generally true under conditions ordinarily met with in antimosquito work, then they have an actual practical value.

In accordance with these facts it seems unnecessary to screen waterspouts and other pipes into cisterns and similar deposits of water when such pipes have a considerable horizontal section. The saving in this way of time, labor, and materials may be quite appreciable. However, the screening of such openings will be required in those instances where mosquitoes are breeding from eggs carried into the water from an outside place of deposit.

Sewers, cesspools, etc., may be breeding places of certain kinds of mosquitoes, and their possible passage for considerable distance up the soil and drain pipes must be considered. Such pipes are usually trapped near the sewer or cesspool, but not always, especially in old constructions and in localities where plumbing laws are lax or nonexistent. It is probable that the most important antimosquito work is done in the smaller towns, villages, and isolated houses, where local deposits of water are apt to be found in place of a piped water

system.

EPIDEMIC INFLUENZA.

PREVALENCE IN THE UNITED STATES.

Telegraphic reports received by the United States Public Health Service for the week ended February 22, 1919, indicate that there has been little change in the number of cases of influenza reported throughout the United States. These reports are received from State health officers and from zones surrounding Army camps.

As compared with the week ended February 15, decreases in the number of cases notified are reported from Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, and Vermont. Increases are reported from Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, and Virginia. The number of cases is not large, however, and the increases in most instances are very slight.

The following table shows the number of cases of influenza reported in the zones surrounding military camps in the United States from December 29, 1918, to February 22, 1919, inclusive, by weeks. The cases reported from September 15 to December 28, 1918, are shown in the Public Health Reports, vol. 33, No. 49, December 6, 1918, pages 2153-2154, and vol. 34, No. 1, January 3, 1919, pages 1-2.

THE VENEREAL CLINICS AND DETENTION HOMES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE.

While a large part of the campaign against venereal disease is educational in character it is indispensable also to provide clinics and detention homes where the venereally infected can secure advice, diagnosis, and treatment.

In developing this phase of its work the Public Health Service, through its Division of Venereal Diseases, now operates 102 clinics for the free treatment of venereal diseases and 33 detention homes for the quarantine and treatment of infected persons; 29 of the 33 detention homes are in direct cooperation with the clinics operating in the extra-cantonment zones or the so-called United States Government clinics. In most cases these detention homes are operated by the clinic personnel.

The following statistical report covers the activities during the month of January of only 15 clinics and 13 detention homes, 12 of the latter being in direct cooperation with the United States Government clinics. Reports from the remaining clinics and detention homes were not received in time to be included in this report. The average number of days each of the 15 clinics were open was 25.5. TABLE I.-Patients under care of clinics.

Table I shows that there were 7,375 patients listed in the active files of the 15 clinics and the detention homes. Of the 1,525 new patients admitted during the month 1,500 were admitted at the clinics, the remaining 25 being sent direct to a detention home operating independently of any of the clinics. The average number of patients admitted during the month at each of the clinics would, therefore, equal 100. It will be noted that 374, or 24.8 per cent, of the patients terminating treatment were discharged as probably cured, and 60,

or 3.9 per cent, were discharged as noninfectious but not cured. The most striking feature of Table I is the fact that 659, or 43.7 per cent, of the patients terminating treatment discontinued without permission. The number of patients remaining under treatment on January 31 was 5,868, of which 5,524 were under treatment at the clinics and 344 in the detention homes.

Of the 7,375 patients there were 6,612 who were actually treated, the remaining 763 being under observation. To the 6,612 patients there were 19,796 treatments administered, 5,796 of which consisted in the administering of asphenamine, 4,953 doses to infectious cases, and 843 to noninfectious cases of syphilis. In addition to the actual treatments there were 1,959 examinations and consultations without treatment. There were also 583 prophylactic treatments given at the clinics operating in the extra-cantonment zones at San Antonio, Tex., and Little Rock, Ark.

TABLE II.-Record of attendance at clinics.

Included in these totals are visits made by patients whose color was not stated.

The number of visits to the clinics as shown in Table II equals 15,705, or a daily average attendance of 41.1 at each of the clinics. Table II clearly shows that the number of voluntary visits far exceeds the involuntary visits. It is especially interesting to note that 623, or 3.9 per cent, of all the visits to the clinics were due to the persuasion of the social workers and nurses comprising the clinic personnel.

During the month there were 239 patients placed in detention,
226 of whom were females. It was found that of the total number of
females 98.2 per cent were found infected with venereal diseases.
The laboratory work of the clinics may be summarized as follows:
Wassermann examinations.

Microscopic examinations for Treponema pallidum.
Microscopic examinations for gonococci for diagnosis
Microscopic examinations for gonococci for release..

Total.....

101769-192

1,528

55

2,476 1, 342

5, 401

DEATHS DURING WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 15, 1919, IN CITIES.

The following table shows the registered deaths from all causes and from pneumonia (all forms) and influenza combined, in certain large cities of the United States during the week ended February 15, 1919. The annual death rates per 1,000 population for the week and for the corresponding week of previous years are also shown.

The data are taken from the "Weekly Health Index," February 18, 1919, issued by the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce. The populations used in computing the rates are estimated by the Bureau of the Census as of July 1, 1918.

Registered deaths and annual death rates per 1,000 population in certain large cities of the United States, week ended February 15, 1919-Deaths from all causes, and from pneumonia (all forms) and influenza combined.

"A" indicates that the rate given is the average annual death rate per 1,000 population for the corre sponding week of the years 1913 to 1917, inclusive. "C" indicates that the rate is the annual death rate per 1,000 population for the corresponding week of 1918.

2 Population estimated as of July 1, 1919.

Rate is based on statistics of 1915, 1916, and 1917.