being present. Every physician, as well as others, should make an especial effort to be present. Anyone can become a member by sending to Dr. Henry D. Holton, Brattleboro, a member of the general committee, the fee of five dollars. This will entitle such person to all the privileges of the congress and also to copies of the transactions. Former congresses have published their transactions in three volumes; however, it is expected that it will require four volumes for the papers of this one. The first general session, it is expected, will be presided over by President Roosevelt on September 28, in Washington, D. C. The sections will open on the same day and continue during that week, holding two sessions each day. There will be a general exhibition of pathological specimens, sanatoriums and other things of interest will be open for three weeks. In connection with the congress a series of lectures will be delivered by eminent persons from foreign countries. These will be during the week beginning September 21. The names of the speakers and the cities in which they will lecture are as follows: Bernard Bang, of Copenhagen, Washington, October 3. Subject, “Studies in Tuberculosis in Domestic Animals and what We May Learn Regarding Human Tuberculosis." A. Calmette, of Lille, France, Philadelphia, September 26. Subject, "Les nouveaux procédés de diagnostic précoce de la Tuberculose." Emil Coni, of Buenos Ayres, Washington, October 2. Subject, "La Lucha contra Tuberculosis en la Republica Argentina." Arthur Newsholme, of Brighton, Washington, September 29. Subject, "The Causes Which Have Led to the Past Decline in the Death-Rate from Tuberculosis and the Light Thrown by This History on Preventive Action for the Future." Gotthold Pannwitz, of Berlin, Philadelphia, September 24. Subject, "Social Life and Tuberculosis." R. W. Philip, Edinburgh, Boston, October 6. Subject, "The AntiTuberculosis Program-Coördination of Preventive Measures." C. H. Spronck, of Utrecht, Boston, October 7. Andres Martinez Vargas, of Barcelona, New York, October 9. Subject, "Tuberculosis of the Heart, Blood and Lymph Vessels." Theodore Williams, of London, Philadelphia, September 25. Subject, "The Evolution of the Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis." Dr. Maurice Letulle and M. Augustin Rey (joint lecture), Washington, September 30. Subject, "La Lutte Contra la Tuberculose dans les grandes villes par l'Habitation; methodes scientifique modernes pour sa Construction." Dr. L. Landouzy, of Paris, Baltimore, October 5. Dr. A. A. Wladimiroff, of St. Petersburg, Washington, September 28. Sub-ject, "Biology of the Bacillus." Prof. N. Ph. Tendeloo, of Leyden. Subject, "Collateral Tuberculsois Inflammation." The Bulletin of Vital Statistics says: "Comparatively few people seem to realize the purpose for which records of deaths and births are collected by public authorities in all civilized countries. It is a disgrace of many years' standing that the United States possesses no reliable statistics for the country as a whole. There are only sixteen states whose returns of deaths are accepted by the Bureau of Vital Statistics at Washington as 90 per cent perfect, and not one whose returns of births are full and trustworthy. In Europe registration has been practically perfect for many years, and the filing of the appropriate certificates is recognized as a duty which is fulfilled as a matter of course by all the people. That America is a young country is no excuse, for good registration is secured in the British Colonies in South Africa, and some of the Central American republics put us to shame in this regard. "One reason for the backward condition of registration of vital statistics of this country lies in the fact that legislation on the subject has in many instances been ill-advised and crude. And there is practically no uniformity in the methods or regulations adopted by the different states which make any pretense at all in collecting these data. Improvement in this respect is likely to follow the recent formation of a section on Vital Statistics in connection with the American Public Health Association. "These records are of value in two ways, to the sanitarian working for the prevention of disease and the prolongation of life, and to the individual. Large sums of money are being spent annually in properly disposing of sewage, in filtering and protecting public water supplies, in disinfection, in carrying on the anti-tuberculosis crusade by sanatoria, dispensaries, educational measures, etc. How can we determine if this money is being spent to the best advantage unless we can see their effect upon the death rate? How can we really judge the health conditions, the sanitary aspects of a community unless we have an accurate birth rate to compare with the death rate? "To the individual directly, too, registration of births and deaths is important. There is hardly a relation in life in which such a record may not be evidence of the greatest value. In the matter of inheriting property; in the administration of estates; as an insurance proof to establish the exact age of the insured; in determining whether individuals are of a legal marriageable age; in voting; in jury and military service; in many avenues of professional and official life; in carrying out the provisions of laws relating to education and child labor, and in numerous other ways records of this character are often of the highest importance. It would seem that there are but few people whose birth, marriage or death does not at some time become a matter of official or legal cognizance. "In this connection we might also add that the certificates should be made out correctly and in a legible manner and only the best of ink should be used in making them. It very frequently happens that the department is called upon to correct errors appearing on original certificates, which had crept in through carelessness of the informant, and in most instances the item that was incorrectly reported bore a most important part or affected the legality of the claim for which a certified copy was desired. It is therefore most important that extra care should be taken in making out the certificates and every item, no matter how trivial it may seem, should be filled out, when possible to obtain the information." The following towns have failed to return the vital statistics for the first six months of the current year before September 1 as required by law: Addison County: Addison, Ripton, Salisbury, Shoreham, Weybridge. Bennington County: Bennington, Dorset, Sandgate, Stamford, Wood ford. Caledonia County: Hardwick, Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury. Essex County: Brunswick, Concord, Lemington, Norton. Grand Isle County: Alburgh, South Hero. Lamoille County: Belvidere, Eden, Elmore, Johnson, Wolcott. Orange County: Fairlee, Orange, Vershire. Orleans County: Albany, Barton, Jay, Lowell. Rutland County: Benson, Proctor, Rutland (Town), Shrewsbury. Windham County: Jamaica, Putney, Rockingham. Windsor County: Baltimore, Bridgewater, Chester. CASES OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES REPORTED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH FROM JUNE 1 TO AUGUST 31, INCLUSIVE Entered October 21, 1901, as second-class matter, Post Office at Brattleboro, Vt., under act of Congress of July 16, 1894. CONTENTS. Bovine Tuberculosis Relative to the Effect on the Human Subject, by V. A. Moore, The Nature and Control of Bovine Tuberculosis, by Veranus A. Moore. Page 12. Sanitation of Public Buildings, by Wm. Paul Gerhard, C. E., New York City. Page 30. News Items. Page 49. BRATTLEBORO, VT. |