precautionary measure were taken, but the disease had already been communicated to another in the same house, on whom the eruption appeared April 19. This latter case was immediately removed to the hospital. At the date of this writing (May 1), this person is still at the hospital and fast recovering. * These cases have all been treated by the City Physician.

In all cases the houses from which these patients were taken have been as thoroughly fumigated as practicable immediately thereafter, and pains were taken to prevent the spread of the disease.

There

Several other cases have been reported as small-pox, or doubtful, which proved to be some other disease. has been no death from small-pox during the year.

The hospital on Marcella street is still on our hands, no other place having yet been provided. Whoever will read our report of last year upon this subject must see that it would be gratifying to us if some spot could be found less expensive, and more remote from human habitation, which would meet the requirements of the statute, and which might be used by us without violating our oaths, or transcending our powers; we can not legally use Gallop's Island for the reception of patients affected with contagious diseases, except those take" from vessels in quarantine. We await some definite action of the City Council upon this subject.

STATE CHARGES.

Since our last report, $42,266.44 have been paid into the City Treasury on account of small-pox patients, making a total of $82,506.49.

The bills, however, sent by us to the Board of State Charities, represent and call for a still larger sum, which will probably be paid in time, as the above amount has been,

* Discharged May 10th.

by instalments. The details of the above reimbursement will appear in the annexed financial statement.

VITAL STATISTICS.

From the weekly sheets furnished us by the City Registrar we gather the following summary:

The whole number of deaths for the year, from May 2d, 1874, including the deaths of the week ending with this date, to and including the week ending April 24, 1875, was 8,157. Various mortality charts, and charts showing temperature, etc., are hereto appended.

Statistics, to be of value, should be entirely reliable. We regret to say that the accompanying are not wholly so, but we have been unable to obtain any that are more accurate. A change is contemplated by which the return of deaths will be made directly to us, and we hope, therefore, that hereafter the value of these statistics will be greatly increased.

We would here acknowledge our obligation to Sergt. D. C. Ralston, of the U. S. Signal service, for the courtesy and promptness with which he has daily furnished the meteorological observations accompanying the following charts.

The deaths by wards are as represented in the following table; as the footings of all the wards will not correspond with the figures we have given for the total number of deaths, the balance must be looked for in the hospitals and the city institutions.

Two persons having died at the age of 106, and one at 105.

CHOLERA INFANTUM.

The mortality from this cause last summer was very great, eighty-five deaths a week being reported for three successive weeks.

This large percentage of deaths from cholera infantum during the summer months is always noticeable in the mortality returns of large cities. All efforts made to improve the general sanitary conditions of the city will, doubtless, tend to decrease the death-rate from this as from other diseases of a kindred class.

We shall watch with great interest the result of the efforts to be made the coming summer by some philanthropic ladies and gentlemen to save, if possible, the lives of many who might otherwise fall victims to this terrible disease.

MEDICAL COMMISSION.

Upon the 5th of August we received the following communication from his Honor the Mayor: