attention very powerfully; the yards to them are nothing but small patches of ground filled up with old refuse matter, although occasionally variegated with all sorts of cast-off properties. The ground is low, drainage is poor, and filth is prevalent.

The blocks between Second and Third, and Chestnut and Spruce, Ninth and Tenth, and Penn and Washington, and Seventh and Eighth, and Washington and Walnut, are alike, as respects their sanitary condition. The ground in all of them is flat, and drained with difficulty, and they are all cut up by a number of narrow alleys, which serve no other purpose than as a receptacle for all manner of filth. Nothing more need be said respecting them. The 17 blocks colored in blue or green, out of 150 or more, affected with scarlatina, furnished one-third of all the cases.

The

In proportion, the alleys furnished many more cases than the streets, although the number of people living directly on them is much smaller. Some slight attention, at least by the property holders, is paid to the condition of the streets, but none to that of the alleys. Many of the houses in the portions of the city inhabited by the poorer class of people, were built without any regard to health. If low and marshy land could be bought cheaply, and filled up cheaply with refuse matter, it soon became an object for speculators to buy such properties and to build cheap houses on them. When they were built, they were made cheaply, having in general no cellars, and frequently a hogshead or large barrel as a cess-pool (of course dignified with a nice frame structure). drainage of Reading is in general admirable, and if slight attention and care were bestowed on it by the inhabitants, could be readily improved, but when nearly every one has a narrow alley at the end of his lot, to serve as a target and place of deposit for everything unpleasant, there is little hope. The collection of garbage, not only in the alleys but also in the yards, the neglect of ordinary cleanliness, the presence of decaying matters of all kinds, must have their effect. We cannot say whether the presence of manufactories has any effect on health, but wherever they are, they frequently seem to be the centre of attraction for filth and deposits of all kinds. Tenement houses are rare in Reading, but wherever there are any, scarlatina left its mark. The isolated blocks, containing a number of cases, that are inhabited by the wealthier portion of the community, have to look to their alleys and drainage in order to explain their great number of cases as well as of deaths.

Nearly all of the high-colored blocks, in immediate proximity, are inhabited by the poorer classes, who must look upon themselves, in

many cases, as material aid in spreading this disease, by their want of attention to the cleanliness necessary around a house. The bad condition of the streets last fall, and the continual mild weather aiding materially in fostering the propagation of the poisonous germs, no doubt had their effect, but filth and bad drainage were the principal powers and forces in spreading the disease. One badly drained or filthy block will contaminate all the surrounding ones. The water supply of Reading is too good in quality to ascribe to it any noxious effect, notwithstanding the cry raised up against it, and hence we must look to the condition of the streets, alleys, and houses themselves, for an explanation of various epidemics. The free use of lime, in the spring of the year, materially checks the progress of an epidemic of scarlatina. If the fire plugs were frequently opened, and the abundant supply of water used to wash out the gutters, alleys, and streets, if the property-holders, would scrape into the gutters all filth that could be carried away by water, and would gather and burn all other refuse matter, much could be done, not only to check, but also to prevent this as well as many other diseases. If the cess-pools were made deeper, and only occasionally disinfected, the advantages gained would be material. Capitalists, in building houses for the poor, can make the yards to the houses larger, and in this way do much good. In low localities, especially over made ground, the houses are damp, and require constant airing, but if the soil, used to fill up these places originally, was good, dry, pure earth, instead of refuse matter, there would be no necessity of such constant care.

Many suggestions could be made as respects under-ground drainage, street cleaning and washing, macadamizing, collection of garbage, etc., but we think enough has been said to show that much can be done by every one, educated as well as uneducated, to improve the sanitary condition. As yet, the immediate causes of all epidemics can hardly be explained, but filth, bad drainage, bad ventilation, and uncleanliness, can be looked upon as the elements in which all epidemics unite.

DR. W. F. MUHLENBERG,

Chairman of Sanitary Committee.