Julio and 26.50 meters over the bottom of the reservoir. The facilities for cleaning are good, as the sluice gate is very large (31 by 46) and sits very low. The dam is cleaned every week. The surroundings are always clean. The intake-gate house has the entrance door in bad condition; all out of shape, and needs paint. The dam is 4,466 meters along the pipe line from the reservoirs. In straight line is only 3 kilometers. The Duey River always carries a large amount of water. This river has never been dry. As we can see in the plan, its main tributaries are Los Chorros de Aguas Blancas, Quebrada de los Caracoles, and Quebrada el Rayo. There are many other small streams coming into the river. All of them were found clean and free from mud. In a few places people were found washing clothes in the stream, as has been stated before. The kind of soil through which the river and tributaries run have been shown in the plan. At the source of the river it is shales and tosca. In Pieraldi's land the soil is red clay, very good for coffee. Many large trees are in Pieraldi's coffee plantation. The same as in Don Francisco Ortiz and Rafael Mejía's plantation. Farther down are pasture lands, as in the place where Los Chorros de Aguas Blancas comes out.

It may be stated, to sum up, that the watershed has shale, red clay, and tosca soil; that it has many coffee plantations and pasture lands; that there are very many houses on the watershed; that many coffee plantations throw the water from their coffee wash into the river; that there are no latrines in the whole watershed. The country is mountainous and the river has a good fall per kilometer.

Located on the watershed are 220 houses used for the following purposes: Twentynine for preparing and storing coffee; 7 stores; 3 rural schools; 181 dwellings, 220 houses in all.

This gives 181 dwellings. Taking an average of five and a quarter persons per dwelling (mean given by 342 houses in the Utuado coffee district) gives a total of 950 persons in the watershed. As the watershed has an area of 5.79 miles, this gives an average of 164 persons per mile. In general, the watershed is good.

The following fire hydrants were leaking and could be easily adjusted: Pasarell Street, corner 25 de Julio, Betances corner, Matienzo Cintron, Santo Domingo entrance from Barinas, Amistad corner, Mejias, Munoz Rivera, corner Mejia, Buena Vista corner, Sanchez Lopez, Betances corner, Buena Vista, Betances corner, Munoz Rivera, Comercio corner, Pasarell, Comercio corner, Baldorioty, Amistad corner, Pacheco.

The public fountains were, most of them, in bad running order, and their condition is stated below. Calle 25 de Julio, on the entrance to Guanica Road, the fountain's outlet is stopped up and the faucet leaking. Betances Street, corner Planta Electrica, the by-pass valve is closed and of course the fountain is not in use. Santo Domingo Street, corner Martinez Cintron, fountain in good running order. Santo Domingo Street, in the road to Barinas, the fountain is leaking and the outlet is stopped up. Mejia Street, corner Amistad, the by-pass valve is closed and thus the fountain is not in use. Santo Domingo Plazuela subida del rio used to be a public fountain, but they destroyed it, as there was need of it. Mattey Lluveras, near bank of river, has the outlet stopped up. Buena Vista, corner Santa Rosa, the faucet leaks. Buena Vista, corner Baldorioty, the faucet leaks and the outlet is stopped up. Buena Vista, on the way out to the cemetery, the faucet leaks and the outlet is stopped up. Matienzo Cintron, corner Betances, the by-pass valve is closed, and thus the fountain is not in use.

The amount of water used per day was determined in the following manner: One tank was full of water and at 7 a. m. the town begun using only water from that tank. The outlet to the tank was closed up. It was found that at 2.15 p. m. the tank was empty down to the outlet to town. Thus, it was found that 787 cubic meters had been used in 7 hours, or at the rate of 101.5 cubic meters per hour during the hours of 7 a. m. to 2.45 p. m. It must be taken into account that there are fountains at the Plaza Washington; that they sprinkle the street every day; that many of the public fountains and fire hydrants are in bad condition; and mainly that they do not use any water meters, and everywhere there is waste of water.

Yauco may be proud of its aqueduct as it is well constructed and gives plenty of water always, with a good pressure. Taking everything into consideration, it may be said it is one of the best waterworks in the island.

AIBONITO WATERWORKS AND WATERSHED.

Aibonito is one of the most pleasant towns on the island and a good summer resort. Its population in 1910 was 2,353 inhabitants.

On the 22d day of June, 1917, inspection of the Aibonito watershed was begun. The water supply of this town is secured from two sources—one the Quebrada Figueroa

and the other the Quebrada Cobacha. Each of these quebradas has a separate tank from which the supply of water is carried through piping to a common reservoir, which is divided into two parts; one the old reservoir from the Quebrada Cobacha and the other is now receiving its supply from the Quebrada Figueroa. These two reservoirs, however, are on the same level and connected by a 4-inch pipe, so that they may be considered as one single reservoir. The outlet to the town is a 4-inch pipe, the same that has been in use for a number of years, which connects it with what is known as the old reservoir. At the time of the inspection these new portions of the work were under construction and some changes may possibly have been made therein during the course of the construction.

At present the municipality is constructing a new reservoir that will be 25.30 by 37 meters at top and 15.88 by 27.50 meters at the bottom, with a depth of 4.50 meters. Also a 2-inch galvanized wrought-iron pipe line from Quebrada Figueroa to the reservoir.

The inspection started at the dam which is at a distance of 874 meters from the reservoir along the pipe line. The dam is made of concrete, having a 4-inch castiron pipe as sluice gate set in the lowest point. The outlet of the 2-inch pipe to the reservoir is at an elevation of 5.50 meters above the top of the reservoir. The 2-inch pipe has a brass strainer. Coming out from the town is also a 1-inch galvanized pipe which carries the water to Don Ramón Figueroa's house about half a kilometer away. The quebrada has a very small amount of water, not even enough to fill both the 1-inch and the 2-inch pipes that lead out from it. During the dry season when the 1-inch pipe is running the 2-inch pipe does not run full.

The town has a 4-inch cast-iron pipe overflow, which is set about 10 inches higher than the 2-inch outlet. It could easily be seen that there was not enough water, as the level was only 1 inch over the 2-inch strainer. Of course, no water was running out of the overflow. Around the strainer were rubbish and leaves. The dam is covered with galvanized-iron roofing. The soil is clay with many bowlders. According to studies made by the department of the interior, this Quebrada Figueroa carries 42 liters per minute. It has a good fall. About 50 meters up the quebrada there is scarcely any water. There are many bowlders, and 10 meters farther is the source of the quebrada in the farm belonging to Ramón Figueroa. About 8 meters farther up the watershed there is a footpath. Above the footpath is pasture land with clay soil. There are no chances of contamination, since there are no houses on the whole watershed.

The town is using now the old reservoir, which is in good condition, being in size 30 by 30 by 13 feet with the overflow about 18 inches below the top and is covered with corrugated sheet iron supported on wooden beams.

The inlet and outlet are 2 feet center to center and project their bell ends about 3 feet into the reservoir. This prevents the circulation of the water in the reservoir. The drain is located just underneath the inlet and outlet.

The gate house has no drain and there were 6 inches of stagnant water. Two of the valves leak and should be repaired. The entrance door is in poor condition.

The site where the reservoirs, both the old one and the one under construction, are located is almost on a hilltop. The soil is what is tosca in English and clay. It is free from contamination. They are about 200 meters from the town of Camino de la Sierra.

The other source of water is from Quebrada Cobacha. This water is the one they are using now. On this quebrada they have a concrete dam which is provided with spillways. There was no water going over the dam; in fact the quebrada was not carrying enough water to fill the 4-inch pipe. A 0.15 by 0.20 by 10.40 meters concrete conduit with a 4-inch galvanized wire at its entrance leads from the dam to a small concrete box of 1.40 by 1.40 by 1 meter deep. From this box leads out a 4-inch cast-iron pipe which goes to the reservoirs. In some places along the line this pipe lies about 3 feet high on wooden posts. It crosses the brooks without any protection. The site of the dam is clean, although there is much vegetable growth; is free from contamination.

The soil there is red clay, good for bananas and coffee, as we can see by the vege

tation.

In order to inspect better the watershed, I walked up alongside the quebrada. At about 20 meters up I found a very small brook. The next one I found was about 1,200 meters from the dam. Thirty meters farther up I found another one. These three brooks are so small that no name is given to them.

Forty meters farther up-that is, about 1,270 meters from the dam-is the source of this Quebrada Cobacha. The soil is clay, with many wild plants, such as rabanos, "Zarza," "boquilla," etc., growing around the source. The farm belongs to Don Cristóbal Moscoso.

Eleven houses in all, which, taken at five and a quarter persons per dwelling (mean given by 342 houses in Utuado coffee district), gives 58 persons in the whole watershed. The area of the watershed of quebrada Cobacha is 0.35 square kilometers, equal to 0.292 square miles. Thus this would give 198 persons per square mile. The area of the watershed of quebrada Figueroa is 0.25 square kilometers, equal to 0.097 square miles. There are no houses in this watershed.

The distribution system in the town consists of 2, 3, and 4 inch pipes. The pressure is very poor, especially in the two-story buildings.

The fountains consist of a piece of pipe sticking out of the ground with a faucet attached. They have no drain and the water runs over the streets, in many cases forming breeding places for mosquitoes.

The waterworks' system was constructed in 1906-7 according to plans drawn by Engineer Montilla. The present additions are under the direction of the department of the interior.

To sum up, I may say that Aibonito has a very poor system of water supply and not even with the new 2-inch pipe line from quebrada Figueroa will the conditions be bettered by much. The supply of water in sufficient quantity is yet a problem to be solved by the town of Aibonito.

REPORT OF THE DRAFTSMAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1916-17 OF PLANS AND BLUE PRINTS.

July: Letrina provisional para campo.

August: One key map and 43 parcel maps of sanitary district No. 3 (Mayaguez). September: Vacations.

October: Trampa de moscas, plano de Trujillo Alto.

November: One key map and 58 parcel maps of sanitary district No. 5 (Ponce). December: Plano de hormigueros. Answers to questions by sugar centrals. January: Isla de Culebra, plano de Las Piedras, Yauco watershed.

February: Total rainfall per week in inches for the year 1916 in San Juan, Ponce, and Aibonito. Filtro intermitente de barriles para agua de beber.

March: Dos mapas de Puerto Rico; uno para el manicomio y otro para el Asilo de Ciegos, demostrando el movimiento de asilados en la isla.

April: One key map and 29 parcel maps of district No. 1 (San Juan).
May: One key map and 68 parcel maps of district No. 2 (Arecibo).

Be

June: Diagram for hospital to keep record of temperature. Aibonito watershed. Utuado watershed. Map showing waterworks and sewers construction in towns. sides many hundreds of blue prints have been taken of all these plans for all the island.

REPORT OF THE VETERINARY DIVISION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1916-17.

Dr. Juan Varas Catalá, Veterinary Inspector.

Thirty-three horses and mules suffering from glanders were destroyed during the year. Glanders is now under control and by systematic work of inspection it will be completely eradicated.

There were inspected 8,560 horses and mules in the streets and in 1,250 stables of the towns visited, finding the stables in a regular sanitary condition, and only 33 horses and mules affected with glanders were reported.

Two hundred and eighty-three animals landed in San Juan, Mayaguez, and Ponce were inspected and found healthy. Also 27 healthy animals were exported after being examined by the veterinarians.

The disease known as anthrax seems to have spread in the southern part of the island. The veterinary division tried very hard to stop the plague by quarantine methods, because there was no vaccine available in Porto Rico. At present the anthrax vaccine can be obtained and the disease will be promptly controlled with the application of the vaccine. There have existed epidemics in central Guanica, central Aguirre, central Pasto Viejo, and in some other places.

Four hundred dairy cows were inspected and a great majority found healthy. Very few were suffering from mastitis and dysentery and these were quarantined. Seven hundred calves were inspected, and a few found suffering from white scours and herpetonsurans were quarantined.

During the dry season hundreds of cattle died from hunger: their owners thought that this mortality was due to some disease, but after an investigation it was found that the lack of food was the real cause of it.

An epidemic of Texas fever was investigated at the Fajardo Sugar Co. Two cows affected with the disease were saved with injections of 10 per cent solution of arrhenal.

This division, helped by the local inspectors, inspected 3,900 fowls offered for sale, destroying 502 which were found to be suffering from aviam diphtheria.

In Dorado there existed epidemics of verminous pneumonia produced by the parasite Strongylus micrurus, which have caused the death of more than 100 calves. The disease has stopped, after prophylactic measures were carried out.

During the year there were slaughtered for human consumption 10,862 bulls, 6,670 oxen, 17,105 cows, 24,014 young cattle, 31,653 hogs, 2,992 goats, 785 sheep, making a total of 94,081 animals.

Dr. A. C. Pou, Veterinary Inspector.

The following is report of work done in this district during the 10 months I have been in the service. During this time I have visited on business relating to the service the following towns:

During the year there occurred an epidemic of anthrax among the cattle belonging to central Fortuna and another in Juana Diaz, from which some 50 oxen died.

In the hacienda Reparada of this city a case of carbuncle appeared. All susceptible animals were immediately separated from the diseased animal and others were vaccinated. In the slaughterhouse of Ponce the following animals were inspected by the undersigned and authorized to be killed for meat:

Hogs killed and destroyed on account of lesions of tuberculosis found in their cervical ganglions (these lesions were excapulated and the pus calcified), head, 83. Hogs destroyed on account of suffering from general tuberculosis, 1. Different organs confiscated on account of suffering from various diseases:

Hogs destroyed suffering from cysticercus cellulosæ, 82.
Hogs incinerated suffering from hog cholera, 4.

During the year 33 specimens of serum from horses and mules were sent to the laboratory for diagnosis of glanders, resulting as follows: Positive, 16; negative, 17. Cases of glanders are now diminishing considerably. Very few are being reported. During this year quite a number of horses and mules have been killed with the consent of the owners. They were suspected of glanders and lamparones. It is considered by the undersigned that the department of health should obtain a law by legislature providing for the indemnization of the owners of animals suffering from these diseases. In this way such diseases could very shortly be eliminated from the island.

Various animals have been imported to this island from Santo Domingo:

Horses.
Mules..

4 Burros...... 97

1

These animals were imported by Sr. Peregrino López, of Mayaguez, and by the Guanica central.

The city of Ponce has some 70 stables, all of which are visited with frequency. Animals inspected in Ponce and its suburbs during the year, as well as those in the district:

Mules..

Horses..

1,032
935

Cattle..

Horses of the service attended.

Injections of antitetanic serum applied to animals of the service, 6.
During daily inspections to the market the following were confiscated:

5,392

10

.lbs.. 658

The animals of the service are in good condition, although some of them have been pretty sick. The mule called Pearl in Ponce district has not worked for more than a month, as she had gotten a nail in her foot. She seems to be well now, but can not work yet.

CHEMICAL LABORATORY.

Director, R. del Valle Sárraga; chemist, Angel M. Pesquera; pharmacist, Juan Mateu Garcia; assistant chemist, Rafael Barreras.

1. Chemical, physical, and biological examinations have been made of 2,087 samples of materials of all varieties; the biological examinations referred to were made in blood stains with the precipitin test, in criminal prosecutions.

2. During the present fiscal year we have devoted a great part of our time to the investigation of medical prescriptions and crude drugs, besides the examination of all sources of food, drinks, and liquors.

3. Out of 2,087 samples, 195 were of excellent quality, 375 good, 185 fair, 39 inferior, 112 suspicous, 263 adulterated, 89 bad, 2 giving a positive result under special tests, 9 giving a negative result when examined in a similar manner, 4 misbranded and 814 unclassified. The larger number of unclassified samples of water were for the water commission, and were so classified until the final report of said commission is ready; it also includes the preparation of chemical reagents for the laboratory, and samples examined for the treasury department for the investigation of narcotic drugs, and the quantity of alcohol for taxing purposes.

4. Of the total number of samples, San Juan sent the larger number, 386. Other towns in the following order: Coamo 157, Yauco 147, Aibonito 117, Mayaguez 90, Utuado 86, Humacao 84, Arecibo 82, Caguas 65, Ponce 65, Bayamon 62; the remaining towns sending less than 54 samples.

5. Out of 730 samples of cows' milk, 195 were of excellent quality, 96 good, 185 fair, 37 inferior, 44 suspicious, 158 adulterated, 15 unclassified. The greater number of samples were secured at San Juan (237). Other towns in the following order: Humacao 70, Arecibo 64, Mayaguez 47, Bayamon 38, Ponce 34, Caguas 31, Aguadilla 25, Guayama 22. Other towns secured less than 16 samples. The following towns sent in just one sample of milk during the year: Aguas Buenas, Barceloneta, Čiales, Coamo, Comerio, Gurabo, Hatillo, Lares, Loiza, Lajas, and Toa Baja. These towns should have sent at least 48 samples as to correspond to not less than one sample every week. Out of 75 towns of the island, only 47 have sent in samples of milk; 28 towns have sent none. Out of the 47 towns sending samples of milk, 11 sent just one sample; 8, two samples; 2, three samples; 6, four samples; 2, five samples; 1, six samples; 3, seven samples; and 1, eight samples; therefore, 34 towns, each have sent less than 12 samples of milk during the year and 13 towns have sent from 12 to 237. Of the towns sending in more than 12 samples during the year, Mayaguez gives the largest percentage of adulteration (53.1), and other towns in the following order: Aguadilla, 44 per cent; Fajardo, 38.4 per cent; Manati, 33.3 per cent; Ponce, 32.3 per cent; Cabo Rojo, 31.2 per cent; Rio Piedras, 25 per cent; Arecibo, 15.6 per cent; San Juan, 14.3 per cent; Bayamon, 13 per cent; Caguas, 12.9 per cent; Humacao, 4.2 per cent; Guayama, 0 per cent.

6. The following towns have not sent a single sample of food or drug during the fiscal year: Aguada, Barros, Las Marias, Luquillo, Las Piedras, Maricao, Moca, Morovis, Naranjito, Penuelas, Santa Isabel, Trujillo Alto, and Isla de Culebra.

7. The keeping qualities of rice has improved during this summer, due to the fact that the measures advised by us in regard to cleaning and disinfection, as prescribed in detail in a circular of the commissioner of health, seems to have worked satisfactorily in preventing the infection of rice by worms and weevils.

8. The quality of bread in San Juan has improved materially this year. We consider it a complete success. The investigation and tests in bakeries have been performed personally by the director of the chemical laboratory and the food and drug inspector of the northern district. The results were published for the benefit of bakers and the public, and the data so obtained was transmitted to all officials of the department in the island, in a circular letter sent out by the commissioner of health, in order to apply the same methods in other towns. It was found that a lack of salt was intentionally practiced with the fraudulent purpose of increasing materially the volume of the loaves, but producing a bread tasteless and odorless.

9. A large number of alcohol and alcoholic preparations were examined for the treasury department, as also a large number of patents and secret medicines, for the investigation of narcotic drugs. In the examination of alcoholic preparations, the presence or absence of ethyl and methyl alcohol, or both, and the determination of the relative proportion of each, was established to serve as a basis for taxation. A large number of denaturing agents were also examined.

10. Four hundred and eighty-eight samples of water were examined for the special investigation that has been undertaken by the water commission. The following aqueducts were included this year: Coamo, Utuado, Yauco and Aibonito; 418 samples were examined for turbidity and were collected daily; all others were collected once every -18

24426-WAR 1917-VOL 3