With regard to diseased conditions themselves, the duties may be thus defined:

To ascertain the causes of the amount and general and relative mortality of the people; to ascertain the sanitary condition of the inhabitants themselves, apart from the mortality, and whether a high or low physical state of health prevails among all or certain classes of the people; also the real and apparent causes to which such general or partial state of impaired health is to be attributed; and further, to suggest practicable means of reducing an excessive mortality, and of generally improving the physical condition of the population.

To ascertain the existence of particular diseases which increase the ordinary rate of mortality, the causes which render such diseases prevalent, and to suggest the measures by which they may be prevented, and if necessary, to superintend the execution of these measures, so that the public may derive the full benefit which they are capable of affording.

To ascertain the existence of any habits, manners, customs, or modes of life which tend to increase either the general mortality, or the mortality of some special class of the population; and to suggest, and if desirable to superintend, the agency by which efficient changes are to be brought about. Likewise to point out the influence which the exercise of certain trades and occupations exerts upon the health of those engaged in them, and upon their offspring.

To ascertain the existence, and to suggest means for the suppres sion, and where that is impracticable, the modification, of such nuisances, or local causes, as tend to foster or originate disease; and where necessary, to superintend the execution of the measures thus suggested.

To promptly ascertain the existence of diseases, more especially those of the zymotic class; to point out the most efficacious means for checking or preventing the spread of such diseases; to ascertain that the measures indicated are efficiently carried out, and to suggest such general measures of relief for the parties affected, or threatened to be affected, as he may deem expedient.

To inspect all public buildings, churches, chapels poor-houses, asylums, lodging-houses, public and private schools, and public almshouses and charitable institutions, &c.; and to point out simple yet efficient means of ensuring a supply of pure air, adequate to the wants of the inmates, and a means of exit for the vitiated air. Also to ascertain whether in such establishments there are any circumstances or conditions offensive to, or prejudicial to the health of, the occupants or inhabitants in the neighborhood.

The advantages which the community will enjoy in the appointment of an officer of health, will be that they will have a duly-qualified officer prepared to act as the efficient medium by which all the circumstances which affect the health of man may be duly considered and weighed; by which they may be classified and arranged, so as to be brought under simple heads, and consequently be more easily remedied, either by voluntary efforts or by legislative enactments; by which conditions inimical to health may, with simplicity and facility, be brought under the notice of a competent body, prepared to deal with questions affecting the health and lives of human beings, irrespective

of local control, jealousy, influence or tyranny, as applied either to himself or to the poor, who would, in general, be thereby relieved from the cruel alternative of being compelled to submit to the influence of deleterious and destructive agencies, or of being turned out of their dwellings, which, though unhealthy, are still their homes.

It is the right of the people at large to enjoy the elementary conditions of a natural existence. The officer of health will be authorized to act, and be recognized, as the public protector of that right. His office will bind him to support the poor against the small landlords, the greedy and indifferent, and to crush their despotism in matters affecting the health and lives of thousands upon thousands of the population; to suppress disease in its hot-beds; to protect children from scarlatina, measles, &c., men from typhus, &c., and all from premature death. His labors will tend to raise the general standard of health; to add to the working years of life, and consequently to the material wealth of the community; to improve the moral and intellectual, with the physical condition of existence; to create order out of disorder, happiness out of misery, beauty of form out of stunted growth and physical imperfection; to build up a strong and self-respecting people out of a feeble and undeservedly degraded and abandoned, yet laborious and long enduring, population. His privilege it will be to do justice to all, especially to the poor and needy, and to be the agent in the granting of a new charter of liberties, as valuable to the people at large as that enforced at Runnymede. While curative medicine, a great and acknowledged good,-points with just pride to its wonderful individual cures, preventive medicine, a greater still, will appeal to the countless thousands saved from suffering and premature destruction by the application of its principles.

Although there exist numerous instances, in most of our towns, of the advantages conferred on the public health by the partial and limited improvements which have resulted from the application of the principles of preventive medicine, through the indefatigable agency of philanthropic medical men, yet it is impossible to point in England to any locality where preventive medicine has been applied, as an art, in an efficient manner.

Adventitious circumstances, altogether irrespective of the public good, have generally determined any great improvement in the physical condition of townsmen; and public bodies, especially public companies seeking after gain, are found quite as ready to sacrifice the public health for their private benefit, when such a course can be adopted in a quiet manner, as they are prompt to manifest regard for the public welfare in striking and readily observable works or operations which they expect to return large profits.

In the army and navy alone are to be found fair examples of what can be done by an efficient health officer to preserve the health and lives of men even when exposed to what are ordinarily considered certain causes of disease.

The experienced army and navy surgeons are found to a man declaring in every variety of expression the one great truth, that preventive medicine will effect infinitely more for mankind than all the drugs which have yet been discovered, and all the curative skill which has ever been exerted for the alleviation of disease. And wherever inter

fering and disturbing circumstances have not operated, the results which they can exhibit show how completely their principle is borne out. They also demonstrate to us how surely grand results for human life and human happiness will yet be worked out, when the means which have been indicated are applied with energy and perseverance.

Look but to the chances of life afforded to the sailor now, as compared with former times. Seventy years ago, the deaths were 1 in 8 annually; thirty-eight years ago, they were 1 in 32; twelve years ago, they were 1 in 72. That is to say, in a quarter of a century, by efficient management, the general mortality in the navy was reduced from 3.12 to 1.39 annually in every 100 men, being a reduction of 56 per cent. in the absolute amount of deaths.

In the army the mortality has been reduced to about two per cent. at home, and four per cent. in our foreign possessions.

If one cogent fact be desired to show the saving of life which can be effected through health officers, it is found in this, that Robert Jackson, to whom sufficient honor cannot be given as a great disciple of preventive medicine,-reduced the mortality of the troops in Jamaica from 120 per thousand to 20 per thousand.

The same average is obtainable for the population of our towns; but its speedy attainment depends on the services of those educated in the school of preventive medicine,-on men who will imitate the untiring zeal, and who, in viewing the remediable causes of disease, will take that large grasp of the subject which eminently distinguished their prototype in military life.-Journal of Public Health, pp. 255-259.

XII. INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILLING THE CENSUS SCHEDULE. (p. 131.)

The general heading is to be filled by inserting the name of the city or town, or the number of the district, and of the county or the parish, and of the State, in which the inhabitants enumerated reside; and the date of the enumeration. Each page is to be attested by the signature of the enumerator.

1. Under heading 1, entitled "Dwelling-houses, numbered in the order of visitation," insert the number of each dwelling-house, as it is visited. The first house visited by the enumerator is to be numbered 1; the second, 2; the third, 3; and so on to the last one visited and enumerated, in the town or in his district. By a dwelling-house is meant a separate tenement, containing one or more families, under one roof. If several tenements are in one block, with walls, either of brick or wood, to divide them, and having separate entrances, they are each to be numbered as separate houses. But if not so divided they are to be numbered as one house. If a house is used partly for a store, shop, or for other purposes, and partly for a dwelling-house, it is to be numbered as a dwelling-house. A hotel, poor-house, garrison, hospital, asylum, jail, penitentiary, or any other similar institution, is to be numbered as one dwelling-house. And in the column under the number of such house, write the descriptive name, as "hotel," "poorhouse," &c., as the fact may be.

2. Under heading 2, entitled " Families, numbered in the order of visitation," insert the number of each family, as it is visited. The first family visited by the enumerator is to be numbered 1; the second, 2;

and so on to the last one visited and enumerated, in the town or in his district. By the term family is meant, either one person living separately, in a house or part of a house, and providing for himself or herself; or, several persons living together, in a house or part of a house, upon one common means of support, and separately from others in similar circumstances. A widow living alone on her own separate means of support, and two hundred or more individuals living together on a common means of support provided by one head, should each be numbered as one family. The resident inmates of a hotel, jail, garrison, hospital, asylum, or other similar institution, should be numbered as one family.

3. Under heading 3, entitled "Name of every person whose usual place of abode, on the first day of July, 1850, was in this family," insert the name of every person of every age in each family, including the names of those who were temporarily absent, as well as those at home on that day. The names are to be written, beginning with those of the father and mother, or either, if one only be living; or, if both be dead, with that of some other ostensible head of the family. Next as far as practicable, insert the name of the eldest child residing at home; then the next eldest, and so on to the youngest; then the other inmates, boarders, and lodgers; and then the laborers, domestics, and servants. Landlords, jailers, and superintendents of poor houses, garrisons, hospitals, and other similar institutions, are to be taken as heads of their establishments; and the inmates in the respective families under their care are to be enumerated accordingly. The name and description of every person who usually sleeps in a store, shop, eating-house, or other similar place, must be separately taken, if not otherwise enumerated. By " place of abode" is meant the house or usual lodging-place of the person. Any person who is temporarily absent on a visit, journey, or voyage, or for other purposes, without taking up his place of residence elsewhere, and with an intention of returning again, is to be considered as a member of the family about to be enumerated. Students in colleges, academies and schools, are to be enumerated, not as members of such institutions, but as of the family to which they belong. The name of every person who may have died since the first day of July, is to be entered and described as if living; but the name of no person born since the first day of July is to be taken. Indians not taxed are not to be enumerated in this schedule; though they ought to be taken separately.

The above rules apply to those employed in navigation. Inquiries are to be made at every dwelling-house, or of the head of every family, and on board every ship in port, or of the commander of such ship; and every one who hails from such family, or from such ship, and considers it his home or usual place of abode, whether present in port, or temporarily absent on a voyage, and those only, are to be enumerated. Neither persons on board vessels of war of the United States, nor those whose only habitation is the foreign or other vessel to which they belong, which happens to be in port; nor those who are temporary boarders for a few nights at a sailor boarding-house or lodging-house, (like travellers at a hotel,) if they are inhabitants of other places, are to be enumerated. Such persons are not inhabitants, and cannot properly be enumerated with the population of a place. This

rule will not, however, apply to the crew of a United States' revenue cutter, or other similar vessel, which belongs to a particular port. These should be taken as of such port. A similar rule will apply to those employed in the navigation of the lakes, rivers, and canals. Each one is to be taken at his home or usual place of abode, whether present or temporarily absent; and, if any one lives on board a vessel or boat, who is not so enumerated, he is to be taken as of the place where the vessel is owned, licensed or registered. And the enumerator is to make inquiry on board every vessel and boat employed in the internal navigation of the United States, and of the owners at the places where licensed, and enumerate those only who come within the above rules.

After all the names are inserted, the enumerator is to read and count them, and say: "I have the names of ten persons" (or other number as the fact may be,) and ask, "Are these all the persons in this family? Is there no other person in it?" After the name of each of the persons is inserted, the enumerator will proceed to fill up such description of each as is designed to be obtained, according to the following headings:1

4. Under heading 4, entitled "Age," insert, in figures, opposite the name of each person, the specific age of such person. The age, exact or estimated, of every one, is to be inserted; and if the exact age cannot be ascertained, insert a number which shall be the most practicable approximation to it. If the person be a child under one year old, the entry is to be made in fractional parts of a year; as, for one month,; for two months, ; for three months,; and so on to eleven months, 11.

5. Under heading 5, entitled "Sex," insert, in all cases, opposite each name, the letter M for male, or F for female, as the case may be. 6. Under heading 6, entitled "Color," if the person is white, leave the space blank; if black, insert the letter B; and if mulatto, insert M.

7. Under heading 7, entitled "Married," insert a mark thus opposite the name of each married person, male or female. Leave the space blank opposite the name of every other person.

8. Under heading 8, entitled "Widowed," insert a mark thus opposite the name of each person, male or female, who has been married, but is widowed. Leave the space blank opposite the name of every other person.

9. Under heading 9, entitled " Profession, Occupation, or trade of each male person over fifteen years of age," insert, opposite the name of each male person over fifteen years of age, the name of the specific profession, occupation, or trade, which the person is known and reputed to follow, in the place where he resides; as, clergyman, physician, lawyer, shoemaker, student, farmer, carpenter, laborer, sailor, or other

1 In making enumerations of the inhabitants of different places, it is sometimes difficult to decide who are inhabitants; and mistakes, especially in regard to seamen, have been made, because no uniform rule has been followed. In England, the enumeration throughout the whole kingdom has been made in one day; and the name of every person who slept in a house the previous night, has been taken as an inhabitant of such house. If this plan could be adopted by us, and the name of every person throughout the whole State, or the whole nation, could be taken in one day, mistakes might, perhaps, be avoided. The rule above given, if understood and properly regarded in practice, will, perhaps, secure as much accuracy as can otherwise be attained.-[See books referred to, page 128.]