the age-group 45-55 in males, in which the reduction is only 1 per cent., and the group 10-15 in females, in which it reached the low mark of 7 per cent., other male age-groups showing a reduction from 10 to 70 per cent. and female age-groups from 25 to 76 per cent.; that a greater decrease occurs at all age-groups among the females than at those of the males, with the exception of the groups under 5 and 10-15; the reduction per cent. of the female mortality at all ages is 55, and that of the males 29, slightly more than one-half that of the females; that the reduction has been greatest at the ages above sixty-five in both cases; that the heaviest mortality prevails at the age-group 45-54 in the males and both sexes combined, and 35-44 in the females; that at the agegroup 45-54 seven males died to two females; that the death rate from other tuberculous diseases at all ages shows a much greater decrease than that from pulmonary tuberculosis, the percentage reductions being almost the same for males and females, 78 and 76 respectively; and finally that the death-rate from all forms of tuberculosis shows a considerabde decrease at all ages, reaching 41 per cent. among males and 60 per cent. among females, those of both sexes being exactly 50 per cent.

CANCER AND SARCOMA.

The number of deaths ascribed to malignant growths during 1908 was 3,243 against 3,227 in 1907, an increase of 16 deaths; a slight decrease is shown in the rate of 1908, that of the latter year standing at 73 against 75.3 per 100,000. The increase from this cause, as shown in previous annual reports, has been continuously gradual; comparing the decennium 1868-1877 with that of 1898-1907 the rate will be found to have almost doubled; this increase is partly due to more accurate certification and to a greater proportion of persons existing at the agegroups 35 years and over, at which ages cancer is more prevalent.

ALCOHOLISM.

There is hardly any doubt that the deaths reported from this cause do not represent the true mortality directly due to acute or chronic poisoning from this agent. The deaths ascribed directly to alcoholism fell from 719 in 1907 to 409 in 1908, and as certification remained the

same for these two years, one may not be far wrong in connecting it with the wave of prohibition which swept the country during the year.

DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.

There were reported 4,146 deaths and a rate of 132 per 100,000 in 1908 against 5,662 deaths and a rate of 94 in 1907, a decrease of 1,516 deaths. More than 50 per cent. of this decrease was due to more accurate diagnoses and certification in the deaths hitherto ascribed to apoplexy; almost three hundred fewer deaths were credited to cerebrospinal meningitis, due to gradual receding of the wave of infection since the severe epidemic of 1904; seventy less deaths were reported under the head of locomotor ataxia and other diseases of the spinal cord; 39 less deaths from general paresis, and 42 less deaths from diseases of the ear; convulsions, as an indefinite cause of death, fell from 572 deaths in 1907 to 508 in 1908, a decrease of 64.

DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM.

In the year 1908 there were 9,297 deaths and a rate of 210 per 100,000 recorded against 8,788 deaths and a rate of 205 in 1907, an increase of 509 deaths; this increase was apparent and not real, and was due in great measure to the transfer of deaths hitherto ascribed to apoplexy, from under the nervous diseases to diseases of heart and especially of the arteries, in consequence of which we find that 1,085 deaths were ascribed to diseases of the arteries in 1908 against 483 in 1907, an increase of 602 deaths; by reason of the more accurate certification some of the indefinite causes were transferred from the heading of nervous diseases to chronic nephritis.

ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISEASES.

There were 10,327 deaths reported from acute bronchitis, broncho and lobar pneumonia in 1908 against 12,854 in 1907, a decrease of 2,527 deaths; this tremendous decrease was found to have occurred chiefly under the head of deaths from lobar pneumonia, 1,535 less deaths having been reported under this title; in discussing the deaths from influenza, a few pages back, it was shown that the less prevalence of this cause was responsible for the lowered rate from lobar pneumonia ;

it also caused a decrease in the rate from broncho-pneumonia at the ages of sixty years and over; in analyzing the mortality from measles, it was shown that although far more prevalent in 1908 than 1907, it was of a milder type of infection, and, in consequence, we find the deaths from broncho-pneumonia under five years of age was considerably below that of 1907; the deaths from broncho-pneumonia under five years of age were almost 500 less in 1908 than in 1907.

DIARRHOEAL DISEASES.

There were 6,594 deaths from diarrhoeal diseases reported during 1908 against 7,118 in 1907, a decrease of 524 deaths; the rate fell from 166 to 149 per 100,000. Of the 6,594 deaths reported from this cause, 5.977 were of children under the age of two years.

The following table shows the population, deaths and death-rates of children under two years of age, from all causes and diarrhoeal diseases, for a period of eleven years, since the organization of the Greater City:

It will be noted that while the absolute figures of death remain about the same, the death-rate has decreased considerably; the average decennial rate from all causes for that of 1898-1907 was 116.8 per 1,000 children living under the age of two years, and that of 1908 was 96.8, a decrease of 17 per cent.; the average decennial rate from diarrhoeal deaths at this age-group was 31.7 per 1,000 against 28.3 in 1908, a decrease of 10.7 per cent.; it will be seen that the rate diarrhoea in 1908 did not reach the lowest mark on record, that of 1903; this is not surprising upon consideration of the meteorological conditions of the summer of 1903; the mean temperature recorded during the months of June, July, August and September in 1903 were respectively 64.20, 74.64, 69.07 and 67.00, whilst those of the corresponding months of 1908 were 72.97, 79.80, 75.78 and 68.58; again, the rainfall in 1903 was considerably above that of 1908, as evidenced by the following table:

The year 1903 was remarkable for its cool and moist summer, and as these two factors are the most important ones affecting the diarrhoeal rate, the diarrhoeal mortality for 1908 was remarkably low considering the relatively high temperature and absence of average rainfall; the concentration of official, philanthropic and individual endeavors put into operation for the first time during the summer of 1908 resulted in a rate the second lowest on record.

BRIGHT'S DISEASE AND ACUTE NEPHRITIS.

The deaths reported from these two causes in 1908 were 5,049 against 5,685 in 1907, a decrease of 636 deaths; the rate fell from 133 to 114 per 100,000, this decrease being due to diminished effect of the influenza infection of 1908 compared with 1907.

DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE.

Homicides-There were 231 homicidal deaths reported during 1908 against 285 in 1907, a decrease of 54.

Suicides The year 1908 showed a considerable increase in the number of suicides over that of 1907, the figures being 994 and 710 respectively. This increase of 284 deaths was due to the depressed financial conditions under which the country labored in 1908, and which have not yet disappeared. The male suicides numbered 771, the female 223; 344 were native-born, 252 Germans, 100 Russians, 42 AustroHungarians, 41 Irish, and the nativities of 52 were unknown. Until the Board of Health passed an amendment to the Sanitary Code forbidding the sale of carbolic acid by retail druggists except upon prescription or in weak solution, this ready and painful means of exit was the favorite method chosen; its place has been superseded by gun and pistol shot, 312 persons having suicided by that means; illuminating gas was used by 288 persons and hanging by 119.

Accidents-The deaths by accidents decreased from 3,916 in 1907 to 3,512 in 1908, a decrease of 404 deaths; there were 1,862 deaths reported as due to falls, fractures, street vehicles and railroads in 1908 against 2,222 from the same causes in 1907, a decrease of 360 deaths; drowning showed an increase from 436 to 474 deaths; deaths by illuminating gas fell from 356 to 200 deaths; criminal abortion was the cause given in 54 cases against 46 in 1907; 16 deaths were reported from hydrophobia in 1908 against 28 in 1907. Burns and scalds were given as the causes of death upon 370 certificates filed in 1908 against 377 in 1907; deaths in conflagrations rose from 66 in 1907 to 142 in 1908.

SEARCHES AND TRANSCRIPTS.

During 1908 the searches of births, marriages and deaths numbered 119,824 against 98,504 made during 1907, an increase of 21,320 searches; fully 50 per cent. of the total number of searches were made without charge to aid children to gain admission to the public schools and to obtain employment certificates. There were issued 45,783 cer