Numerous other complaints numbering twenty-five have been made to the Board from time to time of overflowing cesspools and privies, foul pig-pens and cisterns. In every case where complaint has been made, an investigation followed by the president and health physician. When nuisance was found to exist, the owner thereof was duly notified to abate said nuisance, and there has been cheerful compliance. Several cases of scarlet fever occurred early in the summer, from which there were but three deaths. The second week in September a case of diphtheria developed in a child that was visiting one of the families where scarlet fever had previously existed. Four days after the development one of the children of this family was taken ill with it and died with diphtheritic croup. Four other children in the same family also had it, and one of them died after three days' illness. The father has since been very ill with it, but recovered. Three other families, whose children were likewise exposed to the disease by playing with the first child while it had a sore throat, but were not thought ill enough to call a physician, also had the diphtheria. One of these families also had the scarlet fever and lived in the rear of the first family that had diphtheria. There were twelve cases in four families and four deaths. These were all children except one adult, who recovered. Since then there have been three cases, one child and two adults. One of the latter, a lady who assisted in the care of two of the children that died, was taken suddenly ill with diphtheria and died after four days' illness and six days after exposure. The physicians attending these families reported the cases to the Board, and an immediate inspection of all the premises where the disease existed, and also of the adjacent premises, was made by the president and health physician. A bad sanitary condition was found in all the premises. The yard in the year of the residence of the first family attacked, contained two cisterns nearly filled with impure water, and a large privy which received all the waste-water from the sink. This privy overflowed after a heavy rain-fall and ran into an adjoining yard. Both of the cisterns were thorougly cleaned and a new privy vault was built, perfectly water-tight. The owner of the premises would not allow a nuisance to exist on his property at all, if informed of the fact.

The yard of the second family was surrounded by several nuisances, consisting of three privies, all of which required immediate attention; and within six feet of the rear of the house was a pig-pen. The parents said that the stench from the pig-pen was so fearful during the warm

weather that the windows and doors were kept closed, and frequently they were made sick by going out of the back door and inhaling the odor. Nevertheless they endured this after both of their children had scarlet fever, and now both have had diphtheria. Another pig-pen also exists across the street, and directly opposite this house which has just been complained of. The third family had a very foul cistern under the kitchen and a privy within twenty-five feet from the back door. In the rear of the fourth family the yard contained three privies, underneath which were shallow pits to receive the material, and all of them were overflowing. Notices were served on the owners of all the premises inspected to have the nuisances abated immediately and they most cheerfully complied.

Owing to the rapid development of diphtheria, it was thought best to close both the public and Catholic schools for a short period, as many of the children attending the schools were obliged to pass through the infected district in going to and returning from school.

There have been about twenty-five complaints of nuisances made to the Board since June 15th, and all have received due attention and been abated as speedily as possible, except one, which it was thought would require legal proceedings to compel the owner to comply with the ordinance and abate the nuisance; but when he found that the counsel of the Board was about to commence proceedings, he consented to abate it.

Malarial fevers have not prevailed as frequently in our midst during the past spring and summer as formerly, and where they have developed it has been mostly in persons who have previously been afflicted with them. Owing to our high altitude we should be entirely free from malaria. The supply of good water for culinary and drinking purposes in the township of Chatham, and especially in the village of Madison, is very deficient.

There are but few wells, and many families depend upon unfiltered cistern-water, while some have cisterns with a filtering apparatus. There are numerous springs in some parts of the township, and especially in the village of Madison.

Many houses have no sewers or cesspools, but allow the waste-water to run into the garden or street gutters by means of small drain-pipe. A few have cemented cesspools, which are emptied by means of pumps, while others have cesspools with cemented bottoms and sides laid with alternate layers of brick, thus allowing their contents to be absorbed

by the earth. An odorless apparatus has been in use in an adjoining town for the past year, and has been used in our village for emptying cesspools with very good results.

There are two large cemeteries in our township, Hillside and Catholic, and a small cemetery where a few families bury.

Our secretary, who is township assessor, keeps a record of vital statistics.

During the prevalence of diphtheria the laws of 1883, relating to public funerals of those who die with contagious diseases, were published in our weekly paper so that all might be informed of their existence.

HANOVER TOWNSHIP.

Report from G. A, BECKER, M.D.

There have been a few mild cases of scarlatina, with one fatal case, during this year. Malarial diseases have been on an increase, due, probably, to the wet season followed by the drouth. The southern portion of the township is low meadow land, and after heavy rains or protracted wet spells is nearly all under water, and then, when a hot, dry spell succeeds the wet spell, there is a great deal of decomposing vegetable matter.

PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP.

Report from E. W. MARTIN, Sec'y.

There has been no contagious disease among us. The subject of vaccination has been attended to.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

Report from E. C. WILLET, Sec'y. The supply of water in this township is mostly springs, and the drainage of the township as a general thing is natural.

We have but one slaughter-house in the township. There has been no complaint against it. It is kept in better condition than formerly. Our school-houses through the township are in good order and well ventilated.

There has been no prevailing epidemic this year. Malaria we have had to some extent; some few cases of dysentery; pneumonia, but few

cases.

MORRISTOWN. Our water-supply is from springs; furnished by the Morris Aqueduct Company. Streets are kept very clean and in good order; the principal streets are macadamized. Cesspool system. No sewers.

Report from CHAS. H. GREEN, Clerk.

Refuse is deposited on public dumping ground, buried in trenches. Two burying grounds in city, but seldom used; two cemeteries out of city limits.

Quarantine when necessary, and contagious diseases looked after by health physician. Expenses about eight hundred dollars.

LACEY TOWNSHIP.

OCEAN COUNTY.

Report from FRANKLIN MATHEWS, Sec'y.

Well-water is used. Cellars wet, contain water often. No malaria. Two school-houses, in good condition. Vaccination not well kept up. Pneumonia and typhoid fever.

PASSAIC COUNTY.

MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP.

Report from JOHN H. VAN HOUTEN. No sewers in the township. Cesspools, where used, are generally with open bottoms and sides, and are emptied by having contents taken out by buckets. If slops and water, these leach through the ground, and then, what remains, is shoveled out and taken to the manure or compost heap.

CITY OF PASSAIC.

Report from F. H. RICE, M.D.

The health of the city has been unusually good for the past year. No epidemic or prevalent disease has invaded the city. Malaria decreases year by year. The old arrangements for the water-closets still prevail, but are growing less popular. The water-supply comes from the Passaic river, but for drinking purposes cisterns and driven wells are mostly used. The Board have called the attention of the city council to the necessity of having a system of sewerage at once, They have taken initiatory steps to secure the same. So, by another year, we hope to have the city sewered, or some part of it at least.

PATERSON.

Report from WILLIAM K. NEWTON, M.D.

In our report for the year ending October 1st, 1883, we outlined the facts relating to items A, B, C, D, H, K, R, S, T and U in the schedule.

Under water-supply we would add to last year's report by stating that we have availed ourselves of the provisions of the supplementary health law of 1884, and have passed an ordinance relating to the water-supply. Each well in the city is being examined, and the water thereof analyzed by the health officer. Eleven public and three private wells have been ordered closed or unused.

One mile of new sewers has been completed this year. Under authority given by the Board of Aldermen, we have ordered three hundred and forty-eight houses connected with the public sewers, where such connections did not exist.

A form for the sanitary survey of a house has been prepared, and we shall be able to report in a year after the statistics shall have been tabulated.

We have made but little headway in methods of disposing of housewaste. Two odorless companies now do all the work of removing night soil, all other methods being prohibited.

A thorough inspection of our schools is to be made this winter.

The system outlined in our last report has been followed out to our satisfaction. During the year embraced in this report five hundred and forty-seven nuisances have been abated. Prosecutions before the recorder have been rare, and penalties not to exceed forty dollars in all have been imposed.

The clerk of the board of aldermen is, by virtue of his office, register of vital statistics, and not being a physician, and taking no interest in the subjects, vital facts of great value are not used. The board of aldermen has been petitioned to assign this work to this Board, but for political reasons have so far refused to act. In the meantime figures of extreme value to us in the study of the sanitary condition of the city go for naught. We hope for a change in the future.

The plan noted in the report for 1883 has been followed out with partial success. The following cases of contagious diseases have been under our care: