Sanitation

The regular qnarterly meeting ufthis ioard was held at Lansing, Tuesday, Vpril 12. A letter from Prof. Kedaie, president f the board, announced his decisión to decline the reappointment as mernber of the board, ior the reason that his duties ia professor at the Agricultural ollege were such as, in the opinión of members of the board of agricultura, would prevent his giving that attentiou to the work of the board of health which he had heretofore done. II is conimunicaüon outlineá the great progess in public health mensures in thi state since the organizution of the State oard of Health eight years ago. He saw with pride that nearly erery city, village, and township in the state now ïas its board of health and health eer. Kerosene explosions, so cominon eiglit years ago, have forever been banslied. Eyerywhere in the state there s evidence ofan adyancein the stamping out of infectious diseases. The ventilation of clmrohes, school-houses, dnd dwellings now receire an attention never kuown before. Tlie water in our wells, the drainage of farms, and the sewerage of houses hare all been orouglit into promlnence by the labors of the board. TUK KILTH OF OUR CITIKS. The secretary presented a coinnuini catión f rom C. II. "Voute, giving statistics of the lilth removed from privies and cesspools in various places in th state by means of the odorless ex cavating apparatus. During the time - about a year - the nuniber of tons removed, is, approximately, as follows East Saginaw, 850; Bay City, 580 Lansing, 93; Charlotte, 61; Jackson 151; Ionia, 78; Flint, 118; UattleCreek (50; Kalamazoo, 258; in the stpte abou 2300 tons, or 15,000 barrels and of that amount but 2,000 barrels could be puinped out, the remainder being removed by the "pitting" process, showing the liquid portion had mostly drained off into the soil, which nmstbe much saturated with filth, and as a consequence many wtlls must be eontaminated. OU, INSPECTION. Communications had been received f rom different parts of the state, stating that it was custoniary for deputy oilinspectorsto inspect a few barrels of oil trom a carload and brand as "approved" and coilect pay for inspfcting the whole carload. One of the statements was that the inspector did not test every barrel even when bis test showed at least three different grades of oil in the carload. The questions were, whether this was an honest fulflllment of the law, and whether the public safety is thus conserved. The secretary was directed to take action for ascertaining. S1CKNKSS CAUSED BY FUTRID MBAT. a letter was presented iroin John Mulvany, M. ])., surgeon inthe British Navy, detailing the effects of food re jdered unwholesouie; tlirough putrefactive taint. All of the crew of a large merchant vessel that put into the Falkland Islands who ate of poik opeiied on a certain day became ill, and the illness continued until the ship was disabled and medical assistance was sought t'or in the Falkland Islands. There it was found that not only the pork luit the beef was bad, and the nieat was condenmed by a board of surveying oflicers. Seven of the aft'ected died, and post moitern examination revealed immense effusion into the perieanlium, a stencil from the brain and congestión at the point of the calamus scriptorious in the fourth ventricle, with congestión of the jejunum and ilium. During life the chief symptoms were paralysis of the hands and feet, and agonizing pains in the toes; uncontrollable sleeplessness, loose bowels, stench from the skin, etc. Symptoins entirely sui generix. The Board requested Dr. Mulvany to present a complete account of the sickness. DISEASB8 OK ANIMALS. A lettsr was presented froni A. J. Murray, U. S., secretary of the State Cattle Commission, relative to the desirability of collecting statistics of deaths from contagious diseases of animáis in all parts of the state. This work might properly have been done by the State Oattle Comraission if it had any funds, but a bilí gr.inting them an appropriationof $500, which was passed by the senate was defeated in the house by the present legislatura. Letters were also presented relative to Glanders in Clinton and in Shiawaseee counties. SANITARY CONVKNTIONS. Invitations to hold sanitary conven tions during the coming winter wer aceepted from Cold water and Am Arbor. DETKOIT BOARD OF HEALTH. Dr. Lyster, chainnan of the specia committee of the board, to devise a plan for a board of hsalth for the cit; of Detroit, reported that lie luid in con sultation with the city attorney anc other citizens drawn up a bilí providing a pr.ictical and a scientific board o: health for that city, and the bill was now before the legislature. SANITAUY SCIENCE EX AMINATIONS. ïhe annual examination of applicants in sanitary science will be hek: Tuesday, July 12, 1881; it was votet that the examinationshould be written and that eaca meniber should subiuil 10 questions not heretofore asked, and on aubjects connected with tlieir work as regular committees. Candidates successfully passing the examination wil] reeeive certificates that they are qualifled U: act as health oflicer in any city, village, or townihip in the state. CONTAGIOUS DIREASE8. It was decided to print revised editions of the documente on the restriction and prevention of eachof the tlnee diseases, diphtheria, scarlet ferer, and small-pox. Arrangements were also made for the translation of these documents into the Holland and Germán languages. 'WINTER CHOLERA. The secretary reported the prevalence of a peculiar type of diarrhea in some portions of tlie state (iuring the past winter, The fact of its greater prevalence in the southern portion of the state, and that cases have been reported from two state institutions and froni towns in the northern part of the state, dependent upon Chicago and southern Michigan for their food supplies might indícate a connection between the sickness and the nse of oleomargarine, butlerine, products of diseased pork, or meat or other food. The next regular meeting of the board will be Tuesday, July 12, 1881.