PREFACE In the preparation of this report I have endeavored to follow the requirement of section 2565 of the Code, which makes it the duty of the Secretary of the State Board of Health, in his biennial report to the Governor, to "include so much of its proceedings, such information concerning vital statistics, such knowledge respecting diseases, and such instruction on the subject of hygiene as may be thought useful for dissemination among the people, with such suggestions as to further legislation as may be thought advisable." It will be noticed in comparing this report with former ones from this office, that no previous one contained so many and such important and instructive papers from the members of the State Board of Health. A large amount of space is given to Sewage Disposal; Tuberculosis and its Care and Treatment in Sanatoria; Smallpox; Milk and matters of practical sanitary interest, as well as a report of the meetings of the Board. A glance at the table of contents will indicate the wide range of topics presented, in many respects by eminent specialists in the subjects considered. J. F. KENNEDY. I BOARD MEETINGS SECOND QUARTERLY MEETING, AUGUST, 1901 By order of the President the Iowa State Board of Health, met in second quarterly session at the office of the State Board of Health, Des Moines, August 14th, and was called to order by the secretary in the absence of President Shrader, in Europe, and Dr. R. E. Conniff was elected president pro tempore. There were present Conniff, Adams, Gibson, Linn, Powers and Matthey. The quarterly report of the secretary was read and referred to the appropriate committees. The secretary reported the following respecting infectious diseases: There has been a great falling off in the number of outbreaks of smallpox as compared with the last three or four quarters. Scarlet fever reports, however, were rather in excess during the month of July. There has been also a notable decline in dipththeria outbreaks. There is no occasion, however, for further detail on this point as the card reports from time to time and the Bulletin have kept you promptly and fully informed as to these casualties. It may be proper to say that the state is comparatively free from these diseases at the present time. TUBERCULOSIS The following statement was made by the secretary in regard to tuberculosis: It was doubtless a great surprise in the late Tuberculosis Congress in London to have Prof. Koch declare that tuberculosis in cattle and in human families were not identical, and that the disease could not be |