thereon is included in the report. Reference is especially made to the resolution passed by the American Public Health Association declaring it to be the duty of every government possessing a seaport continuously infected with yellow fever to adopt such engineering and other sanitary measures as may be necessary to cause the disappearance of the disease.

Smallpox.

Smallpox is reported as having prevailed in 22 States, the point of greatest focal activity being the State of Louisiana, where, in New Orleans, it assumed an epidemic form, there being, up to August 1, 1896, 952 cases and 256 deaths since the 1st of November, 1895. The epidemic came to an end in the early fall. The Marine-Hospital Bureau was called upon to assist in the suppression of this disease, particularly in Arkansas, where, in Crittendon County, a camp was established and other measures taken to prevent the extension of the pest to neighboring States, and in Key West, Fla., where the State health officer was aided in his efforts by the detail of an experienced medical officer of the Marine-Hospital Service, who, under direction from the Bureau, established and maintained a detention camp.

Aid was also rendered to New Orleans, Mobile, and Apalachicola by the general vaccination of the crews of all steamers arriving at those ports.

National quarantine administration-Foreign.

In the enforcement of the quarantine regulations of the Treasury Department in foreign ports, sanitary inspectors of the Marine-Hospital Service were maintained throughout the year at Habana, Santiago de Cuba, Panama, Rio de Janeiro, and Yokohama, Japan, and during a portion of the year at Honolulu. A full report from the sanitary inspector at Habana gives in detail the extreme care exercised to prevent yellow fever being carried to the United States. Special precautions were taken with regard to baggage, even during the winter months the baggage of passengers bound for Florida being critically examined, and if considered at all dangerous stamped with a label which called for disinfection at the port of arrival.

Several complaints having been received concerning the incomplete information furnished by the consular bills of health, by request of this Department instructions were issued by the Honorable Secretary of State to consular officers, calling their attention to the deficiencies and enjoining upon them a strict compliance with all details of the regulations.

Reports from two United States consuls, one at Havre, France, and the other at Kobe, Japan, are published in full as illustrating the value of intelligent observance of the quarantine regulations of the Treasury Department which are to be enforced in foreign ports immediately on the appearance of epidemic disease.

Administration of the Treasury quarantine regulations at quarantine ports of the United States.

In the enforcement of the quarantine regulations in United States ports there were 34 fines imposed upon vessels entering without the consular bill of health required by the act of February 15, 1893.

Several circular letters containing amendments and instructions concerning the regulations were issued, and included the following subjects, namely: Notification to be given to State health authorities of the interior of the departure of immigrants arrived upon vessels upon which contagious disease has appeared; relapsing fever made a quarantinable disease; quarantine order requiring at national quarantine stations the disinfection of vessels from suspected latitudes unless specially authorized by the Bureau to give pratique without disinfection; request made of all State and local quarantines to send weekly reports to the Bureau for publication in the weekly edition of the Public Health Reports, which are transmitted to all quarantine stations; letters concerning trespass on quarantine anchorage, upon the boarding of vessels by unauthorized persons before inspection, and upon the right to forcible detention of persons in quarantine. The report also gives an account of special measures to prevent the introduction of yellow fever into Key West through Cuban refugees or returning filibusters; also the measures taken to secure the cooperation of the Canadian authorities in enforcing the disinfection of baggage of all Chinese immigrants arriving at ports on the Pacific coast.

Relations with State and local quarantine authorities.

The relations of the Marine-Hospital Service with the State and local authorities have been generally of an amicable character, although a numiber of differences of opinion have naturally arisen relative to respective rights and propriety of procedure. The Surgeon-General reports that the local authorities have almost without exception given their hearty cooperation to the Bureau. At Portland, Me., the authorities request the Government to take possession of the station. At Baltimore, by reason of representations made, the quarantine inspection service is now maintained throughout the year instead of, as formerly, through the summer and fall months only. At Key West a steam disinfecting chamber has been provided, as required by the Treasury regulations, the attention of the authorities having been called to the necessity of this provision. At Apalachicola a sanitary inspector of the MarineHospital Service was appointed during the winter months to make the necessary inspection of vessels, the local quarantine having been discontinued, and later, the regulation requiring disinfection of vessels from yellow fever infected ports has been enforced by directing the collector of customs to refuse entry to vessels from such ports, unless provided with the certificates of discharge from a fully equipped quar

antine station, it having been found that an attempt was made to disinfect vessels without the proper appliances.

The support of the Bureau was given to the State health officer of Florida in his controversy with the city council of Key West at the time smallpox was epidemic in that city, and pecuniary assistance was rendered to the same officer by the establishment and maintenance of a camp for the detention of those who had been exposed to the disease.

The report of the Surgeon-General also contains the correspondence conducted by this Department with the Governor of Mississippi concerning the United States quarantine station at Ship Island and the establishment of a supplemental station by the State authorities on Cat Island. The allegations concerning the United States quarantine station at Ship Island, made by one of the State quarantine officers, were answered in a letter prepared by the Surgeon-General and duly forwarded, to which no rejoinder has been received.

The relations of the Marine-Hospital Bureau and its representative in New Orleans with the president and quarantine officers of the board of health of Louisiana are amicable, but the board of health, as shown in the report, still objects to Federal surveillance as required by the act of Congress of February 15, 1893.

At San Francisco, while the quarantine station on Angel Island has always been under the management of the Marine-Hospital Service, the boarding and inspecting of vessels has until recently been carried on by the local quarantine officer. Congress, during the last session, made appropriation for placing the boarding vessel belonging to the MarineHospital Service in commission, and, accordingly, the Service is now performing the full quarantine function at this port. Some objection was made at first on the part of the San Francisco board of health, but subsequently the same body transmitted a special request to the Secretary of the Treasury that the collector of customs be directed to require the quarantine certificate of the national quarantine officer before admitting vessels to entry.

Division of sanitary reports and statistics.

The editing of the Public Health Reports, issued weekly by the Bureau, has been conducted in this division. A table of mortality statistics for the calendar year 1895 is presented, based upon replies to a circular letter addressed to all cities and towns in the United States having a population, according to the census of 1890, of 1,000 or more. Three thousand seven hundred and fifteen of these circular letters were sent out, and 1,715 replies received. From these replies the table of mortality statistics of 1,461 cities and towns has been prepared. An inquiry has been begun by circular letter with a view to ascertaining the laws and regulations at present in force in the different States and municipalities to prevent the spread of tuberculosis.

Hygienic laboratory.

In the hygienic laboratory investigations have been continued with regard to diphtheria and diphtheria antitoxin; the etiology, pathology, and prophylaxis of pneumonia; and concerning vaccinia and the serum therapy of smallpox. Other subjects of investigation in the laboratory have been: The water supply of Washington, D. C.; enteric and malarial fevers; the disinfection of the mails, bank notes, library and school books; the sanitary condition and disinfection of railway coaches; and a new disinfecting agent, formaldehyd gas, by the use of which the process of all disinfection promises to become simplified.

The report calls attention to the necessity of a separate building for the use of the laboratory. The space provided by present quarters in the fourth story of the Butler Building is too small, and is, moreover, required by the Bureau for office room; but a greater reason is the danger to the occupants of the building. An appropriation has accordingly been included in the estimates submitted to Congress by this Department.

Other public health measures conducted by the Service have been an inquiry by circular letter concerning the water supply and disposal of sewage and garbage of the cities and towns of the United States, the bacteriological study of the water supply of San Francisco, and a consideration of the prevalence and prevention of the spread of tuberculosis. The closing portion of the Surgeon-General's report gives a brief description of the health service of the United States as it now exists, and resolutions passed by certain medical and sanitary associations relative to the enlarging the scope and facilities of the Marine-Hospital organization.

REVENUE CUTTER SERVICE.

The general and varied work of the Revenue Cutter Service, embraced in its operations upon the Atlantic Seaboard; the patrol of the North Pacific and Bering Sea, caring for the interests of the Government and of commerce as far north as Point Barrow in the Arctic Ocean; the vigilance and activity of its officers and vessels upon the Florida coast and elsewhere in the enforcement of the neutrality laws, in addition to the performance of its distinctively routine duties; in the enforcement of the customs and navigation laws; in the saving of life; the relief of distressed navigators, wherever and whenever found-abundantly commend its value and efficiency as an arm of the public service. There has not been a single year in the history of the Service when, with its old and badly adapted class of vessels and depleted personnel, its resources have been as severely taxed as they have been during the one just closed, and yet, with the numerous calls made upon the organization, it has ably met them and an incomparable record of service rendered is presented.

FI 96- -IV

Statistics.

An active patrol of the coast line, rivers and harbors of the United States, especially on the sea, Gulf, and Great Lakes, has been maintained, and in the performance of this work the vessels of the Service have cruised an aggregate of 307,133 nautical miles; boarded and examined 20,250 vessels of the merchant marine, of which number 645 were reported to the proper authorities for violations of the United States customs and navigation laws, incurring penalties in the sum of $210,994. During the year 67 vessels, with 694 persons on board, in actual distress, were assisted, the value of the vessels and their cargoes amounting to $1,011,807. The pecuniary value of the services thus rendered to the Government and to commerce represents a sum equal to $1,222,801, which is $287,801 in excess of the annual appropriation for the maintenance of the Service.

In aid of the Life-Saving Establishment, vessels of the Service have cruised 6,681 miles.

The lives of 78 persons were saved, 60 of whom were actually taken from the water and rescued from drowning. The lives of twelve others were saved from vessels capsized in a hurricane near Savannah, Ga., while five others were rescued after their escape from a wreck, where they were found in destitute condition.

Special services.

For inspecting, drilling, and disciplining life-saving crews and superintending the construction of life-saving stations there have been constantly on duty with the Life-Saving Service, under the direction of its General Superintendent, 12 officers of the Revenue Cutter Service. The entire time and attention of these officers has been devoted to the work of the Life-Saving Service.

There have been on duty on detached service, in connection with the construction of new vessels for the Service, 18 officers of all grades. The Service has, when all grades are full, but 222 officers, from which it will be seen that the number required for duty in the Life-Saving Service under the act approved June 18, 1878 (12), and those absolutely neces sary for special work, such as the superintendence of vessels building (18), and other special work (8), making 38 in all, makes a serious reduction of the force actually required for duty afloat, on the 36 vessels in commission.

Lieut. G. L. Carden, R. C. S., while in charge of the launch Scout, at Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington, on September 4, 1895, was appealed to by the civil authorities at that place for assistance in protecting from mob violence 2 men charged with murder, who were threatened with lynching. Lieutenant Carden responded to the call of the authorities, received the prisoners on board his vessel, and held the mob at bay until his launch had steamed beyond their reach; conveyed