Table 6 shows that 27.8 per cent of those who died of tuberculosis in Southern California had lived in the State less than a year, the per cent being 27.0 for Los Angeles and even 29.5 for the other six counties. The corresponding figure for Northern and Central California together is only 4.6, and that for the entire State is 13.3 per cent.

In fact, many of the tuberculosis victims in Southern California had been in the State only a few months. This is shown clearly by the following tabular statement, giving the length of residence in months of those who died of tuberculosis in Los Angeles and the other counties of Southern California after having been in the State less than a year:

It appears from the preceding tabular statement that of all who died of tuberculosis in Southern California 3.5 per cent had been in the State less than a month, altogether 10.8 per cent less than three months, and altogether 18.4 per cent less than six months. In Los Angeles 17.9 per cent, and in the other counties 19.6 per cent, of the total victims of tuberculosis had lived in California less than half a year.

Referring again to Table 6, one finds that while in Southern California altogether 58.2 per cent of all tuberculosis victims had lived in the State less than 10 years, in Northern and Central California together only 18.2 per cent had lived here this length of time, the per cent for the whole State being 33.2.

Native Californians form a considerable proportion of all who succumb to tuberculosis in Northern and Central California. Thus, the per cent of native Californians among all who died of tuberculosis is 37.3 for Northern California, and 36.9 for Central California, as compared with 28.4 for the entire State, and only 14.1 for Southern California.

Similarly, deaths of old-time residents from tuberculosis are relatively more numerous north than south of Tehachapi. The per cent of tuberculosis victims who had lived here at least ten years is 33.7 for both Northern and Central California, against 19.5 for Southern California and an average of 28.4 for the whole State.

(Concluded in Monthly Bulletin for October.)

VITAL STATISTICS FOR SEPTEMBER.

Summary.-For September there were reported 1,741 living births; 1,906 deaths, exclusive of stillbirths; and 1,444 marriages, the marriage returns being incomplete. For an estimated State population of 1,882,483 in 1906 the returns for September give the following annual rates: Births, 11.1; deaths, 12.1; and marriages, 9.2, per 1,000 population.

As usual, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death, and typhoid fever was the most fatal epidemic disease.

Causes of Death.-The following table gives the number of deaths. due to certain principal causes in September, as well as the proportion from each cause per 1,000 total deaths for both September and August:

Tuberculosis, as usual, was the leading cause of death in September, but diseases of the circulatory system (heart disease, etc.) were a close second. Altogether 250 deaths, or 13.1 per cent of all, were caused by tuberculosis of the lungs and other organs, while 229, or 12.0 per cent, were due to various diseases of the circulatory system.

Of the epidemic diseases, typhoid fever caused 56 deaths in the month, malarial fever 17, diphtheria and croup 12, whooping-cough 6, and measles 3.

DUTIES OF PARENTS TO CHILDREN.

In each of the last two numbers of the Bulletin we have had occasion to speak of the school system of California in relation to the health and wellbeing of the children. It was done in the firm conviction that our children are suffering from its evil effects and that the coming generation will pay the penalty in men and women, many of whom are shattered in constitution and most of whom are poorly educated when viewed from the standpoint of productive usefulness. It is an age of restlessness and ambition, and we are living and acting on too high a tension. Men and women are striving to accumulate wealth, social renown and political influence and are urging their children forward to

greater efforts in their studies. For nine months out of the twelve the children are kept in school under high pressure, with music, dancing and entertaining thrown in, to occupy the time during the non-school hours. In some instances the other three months are devoted to rest and recuperation, but too often in an effort to make up some deficient study, or even to enter a more advanced class. No school system, or want of system, is to blame for this. It is purely and simply the fault of the parents, and upon them must fall the blame of much, yes, very much, of the ill health, broken constitutions, and death among children. Ambitious for their children to be bright and shining stars in the social or business firmament, they force upon them a course that early transfers them to the celestial one, where they are at least supposed to be free from the eternal grind that has always been theirs.

Conditions like these are not pleasant to look at or consider, but they are real and not fancied. The "strenuous life" is upon us, and will stay for a long time yet. The older people will not readily give up their ambitions, but we can at least spare the young ones and let them have the simple life of childhood. Their forty weeks of schooling they must have, as long as such is the way, and they must take it according to rule, but their pathway can and must be relieved of all obstructions. Nothing should be placed in their way and no extra strain be put upon their nerves, and nothing strains them so much as irregular habits of life, especially in eating and hours of rest. This is completely under the control of the parents, and if they will only appreciate the danger and act accordingly, more will be done to give us healthy, robust children than in any other way.

Great care must be exercised in feeding the child, for upon the food depends the physical growth, and upon the physical the mental strength. Food should be plain and nutritious. Milk, eggs, meat, vegetables, and fruits in well-regulated quantities-which will depend in large measure upon the characteristics and temperament of the child-but never in too great excess. Cakes, pies, and sweetmeats while not excluded from the diet should be used with extreme caution; they are hard to digest and do not furnish nourishment in its best form. The parent should always remember that the child's appetite can not always be depended upon as a test of what is best. It may dictate that the child go to school without breakfast, a habit which will lead to evil results, and should under no circumstances be allowed. Always see that the child eats its breakfast, even if you have to pamper the appetite a little, not with cake or sweets, but with some nicely cooked dish which particularly appeals to that particular appetite. Eating between meals should not be encouraged, neither should a child with a delicate appetite be allowed to go hungry. A drink of pure milk, or a piece of bread and butter, will seldom hurt a child and may save much suffering. Perhaps the greatest cause of breakdown for which the parent is responsible is the irregularity and want of proper sleep. The hours of darkness were intended for rest, and daylight for activity, and it is a mistake to let children reverse the order. The three hours before midnight are far better for rest than the three after 6 A. M. Habit through long years may make one enjoy his morning naps, but it is not nature's way, and in children especially, the loss of sleep in the first part of the night is to be deplored, and the more if the time has been spent in exciting amusements.

The child's mind should be kept as free and clear as possible. It is a delicate machine, and must not be overworked nor wrenched about with excitement. Long sessions on the piano stool, or frequent and late parties, will wreck the health of almost any child.

The daylight hours out of school should be spent as much as possible in the open air, in play and helpful employment, and the night, after 9 o'clock, in bed, which, by the way, should be in the open air as much as possible, never in a close, ill-ventilated room. If this be done the parents can rest assured that they have removed one of the great causes of breakdown in their children, and can with a clear conscience hold the school system responsible for its faults.

STATE HYGIENIC LABORATORY.

The State maintains, under the direction of the State Board of Health, a Hygienic Laboratory for the aid of health officers and physicians in their efforts to guard the public health. This laboratory is located at the State University at Berkeley and is under the immediate direction of Prof. A. R. Ward, to whom communications should be sent. The laboratory is equipped to make bacterial examinations for diphtheria, tuberculosis, typhoid and the less common bacterial diseases, and also water analyses. Containers for any of these will be furnished upon application and full directions given for properly securing the sample. Do not send in any other way than this. The samples of contagious disease products must be sent with the greatest care, and it is useless to send water in any other way than as directed. There are no charges for the laboratory service, and the only cost will be to mail or express the sample. Answer will be sent by mail, unless it is expressly requested that it be sent by telephone or telegraph, in which case the applicant will pay the charge for the message.

Where water is suspected of pollution, a careful examination should always be made to find the source of such pollution, and a full account of the results sent to the laboratory with the sample. It should be remembered that a bacterial examination of a water supply is not infallible. It can only tell what the condition is in that particular small quantity examined. There might be a temporary cessation of the pollution, or where the supply is large the mixture of pure. and polluted may not be complete, and the sample taken from the pure.

In connection with this work the State Board of Health is trying to make arrangements to investigate all epidemics resulting from polluted waters, or other causes especially epidemic of typhoid fever. As this will involve considerable expense, it may not be possible in the near future, but local health officers can do much in this direction and furnish the State office valuable data.

Health officers should always report epidemics to the State Board of Health at Sacramento, and we will assist the local authorities to the limit of our power in discovering and removing the cause of the trouble.

CALIFORNIA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

The semi-annual meeting of the California Public Health Association convened at Alum Rock Springs, San José, on October 12th.

The San José Chamber of Commerce and the Alum Rock Park Commissioners had planned for an excellent luncheon and a place of

meeting. President Simpson had completed the plans by arranging transportation for the delegates through the courtesy of the Alum Rock Railway Company.

The general subject for discussion was the use and abuse of mineral springs in California, two comprehensive and practical papers being read. Dr. Robert Crees of Paso Robles confined his paper largely to the uses and limitations of California's mineral springs in general therapeutics. Dr. Philip Mills Jones based a very forcible discussion of the "quackery" of mineral springs treatment of diseases upon selected extracts from the advertising folders of the many health resorts in California.

The discussions which followed the papers were most interesting and instructive. The prevailing opinion expressed fear that the great value of our mineral springs would be ruined if ignorant or unprincipled promoters were permitted indefinitely to exploit their real usefulness by the present unwarranted methods.

Many suggestive plans were advanced for the education of the public and the passage of prohibitive laws. The association passed resolutions recommending the establishment of a chemical laboratory under the control of the State Board of Health and the publication by the latter of tables of uniform analyses of the water from all the mineral springs of the State, together with a sanitary report of each spring and therapeutical and climatological comments.

It was also suggested that such reports should be forwarded to the proprietors of the springs in question, with permission to publish the letter in full, duly approved by the officers of the Public Health Association and indorsed by the State Medical Society.

The Public Health Association is composed of representatives from every organization interested in any phase of public or personal health. All persons interested are eligible to membership. The meetings are characterized by open and spirited discussions of all sides of each question by both medical and lay representatives. Under these conditions, it is believed that the resolution adopted will appeal to the public, as coming from an entirely disinterested organization after thorough discussion by business men, bankers, engineers and medical men.

Two subjects were proposed for discussion at the next meeting in Monterey in April, 1907:

1. "The Disposal of Sewage" was presented by Dr. Osborne of Santa Clara.

2. "Practicable Methods of Raising the Standard of Health of School Children" was proposed by Mrs. Helen Moore of San Francisco.

A committee composed of Dr. Osborne, Dr. Clarke, and Dr. Foster was appointed to prepare a programme.

Inasmuch as the association has no dues and no source of revenue, it was urged on each representative to personally explain the purposes of the organization to every friend interested in sanitation and good health to the end that the association's meetings may be more fully representative of all professions and all occupations.

The session closed with a formal vote of thanks to the Chamber of Commerce, to Dr. Simpson, and to others contributing by their generous activity toward the general success of the day.