LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, Transmitting the annual report of the National Board of Health. JANUARY 13, 1880.-Referred to the Select Committee on Epidemic and Contagious Diseases and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, SIR: In compliance with the requirements of section 3, act March 3, 1879, and section 4, act June 2, 1879, I have the honor to transmit herewith the annual report of operations of the National Board of Health for the past year. Very respectfully, JOHN SHERMAN, Secretary. Hon. SAM'L J. RANDALL, Speaker House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. SIR: In accordance with the provisions of section 3 of the act approved March 3, 1879, entitled "An act to prevent the introduction of infectious and contagious diseases into the United States and to establish a National Board of Health," and of section 4 of the act approved June 2, 1879, entitled "An act to prevent the introduction of contagious and infectious diseases into the United States," the following account of the operations of the National Board of Health during the past year is respectfully submitted for transmission to Congress. Under the provisions of the act of March 3 the following-named gentlemen were appointed by the President, or detailed with his approval, as members of the National Board of Health, viz: Preston H. Bailhache, M. D., U. S. M. H. S., Maryland; Samuel M. Bemiss, M. D., &c., Louisiana; John S. Billings, M. D., U. S. A., District of Columbia; Henry I. Bowditch, M. D. &c., Massachusetts; James L. Cabell, M. D., &c., Virginia; Hosmer A. Johnson, M. D., &c., Illinois; Robert W. Mitchell, M. D., &c., Tennessee; Samuel F. Phillips, esq., Solicitor-General, District of Columbia; Stephen Smith, M. D., &c., New York; Thomas J. Turner, M. D., U. S. N., District of Columbia; Tullio S. Verdi, M. D., &c., District of Columbia. As soon as the appointments were announced the members of the board were called together and proceeded to organize on the 2d of April, 1879. The form of this organization is shown in circular No. 1 of the board, herewith forwarded, and marked A. The board adjourned from its first meeting April 7, having appointed an executive committee, and directed it to act during the intervals of the sessions of the board. Since this first meeting the board has met eight times, viz: Atlanta, Ga., May 5-8; Washington, D. C., June 3-17; Washington, D. C., June 25-26; Washington, D. C., July 24-25; Washington, D. C., August 19-21; Washington, D. C., October 13-16; Nashville, Tenn., November 18-22; Washington, D. C., December 16-18. These frequent meetings have been rendered necessary from the fact that the law as it now stands does not recognize the existence of an executive committee, and hence it has been necessary to convene the full board to consider questions which the executive committee should have had power to dispose of. The executive committee has held almost daily meetings, and has had charge of all the routine business of the board. The principal operations of the board under the provisions of the act of March 3 have been as follows: I. The collection of information and advice from the principal sani tary organizations and sanitarians of the United States as to the best plan for a national public health organization, including the subject of quarantine, both maritime and inland, and the relations which should exist between State or local systems of quarantine and a national quarantine system. This work has been performed by means of circulars, printed memoranda of questions, correspondence, &c., under the direction of the executive committee of the board, and by conferences with the principal health officers of the country at Atlanta in May and with the American Public Health Association at Nashville in November. After having carefully examined the data thus collected, the board is of the opinion that the conclusions of the American Public Health Association, as expressed in a series of resolutions which passed at the close of a discussion on this subject at a meeting of that body held at Nashville, Tenn., November 18-21, 1879, may be taken as fairly representing the opinions of the leading sanitarians and most important sanitary rganizations of this country. These resolutions are as follows: Whereas the National Board of Health has, in accordance with the law which created it, requested the advice of the American Public Health Association regarding the form of a permanent national health organization of the United States, including its relations to quarantine, both maritime and inland; and, Whereas the opinions of the advisory council of the association upon the subject of health legislation, collected and presented to this body through Dr. J. M. Toner, chairman of the council, have been duly considered: Therefore, Resolved, That, in the opinion of the American Public Health Association, the present National Board of Health has been of such vast service to the country that it is not expedient to make any essential change in its organization, and that any minor improvement in details should be left to the board itself. Resolved, That the investigations which have been commenced by the board are approved and should be continued, and that similar investigations should be undertaken by it into the consideration and prevention of other diseases as well as yellow fever. Resolved, That Congress should appropriate sufficient funds to enable the board to employ the best talent and apparatus in such scientific and practical inquiries. Resolved, That the operation of the existing quarantine law and of the rules and regulations prepared by the National Board of Health on that subject have accomplished great good, and that no change in the law should be made without the most careful and serious consideration. Resolved, That in the opinion of this association the quarantine laws of the United States should be under the direction of the National Board of Health and of an executive committee to be selected by that body. Resolved, That this association has no suggestions to make with reference to any amendments to existing legislation in regard to quarantine, preferring that they should come from the National Board of Health, as the most competent body to advise whatever may be best. Resolved, That it is expedient for the National Board of Health to call an international congress for the discussion of the very important subjects of international sanitary quarantine, &c. Resolved. That it is the duty of the General Government to build, equip, and conduct, at the mouth of the Mississippi River, a quarantine station, at such a place as may be designated by the National Board of Health. Resolved, That the sceretary of this association be instructed to forward to the National Board of Health a certified copy of these resolutions, together with the reports and documents of the advisory council; and that the executive committee be instructed to take such action during the next session of Congress as may seem best suited to promote legislation in accordance with these resolutions. The board concur in the recommendations contained in these resolu tions, and, after conference with a special committee of the National Academy of Sciences, concur with that committee in the following report and recommendations: WASHINGTON, D. C., December 27, 1879. "In accordance with section 3 of the act approved March 3, 1879, the committee of the National Academy of Sciences, appointed to con fer with the National Board of Health, and having power to act, report that the joint meeting resulted in the following recommendations to Congress:" 1st. That for the present no change be made in the plan of organization of the National Board of Health. 2d. That the board be by law authorized to confer on an executive committee from time to time, and in seasons of emergency, such of its powers and duties as it may deem advisable. 3d. That the board should continue the special investigations already undertaken by it, as mentioned in its annual report; and that, in addition to these, investigations should be undertaken by it, or under its direction, upon the subjects of cholera, malaria, typhoid and typhomalarial fevers, diphtheria, and cerebro-spinal meningitis. In addition to these investigations there should also be carried on sanitary surveys of places remarkably unhealthy or liable to become so. The only limitation which should be placed on these investigations and surveys should be the amount of funds appropriated for that purpose. It is believed that, for the present, the sum to be annually allowed for such investigations and sanitary surveys should be $30,000. 4th. That the National Board should take steps to secure, as far as possible, throughout the country uniformity in the methods of collecting and reporting vital statistics; and that to this end it should call a convention of representatives of United States, State, and local authorities especially engaged in the collection and reporting of such statistics, with a view to securing agreement upon this subject. 5th. That the act to prevent the introduction of contagious and infectious diseases into the United States, approved June 2, 1879, should be so amended that in order to enforce the penalties provided in that act for vessels which shall enter, or attempt to enter, ports of the United States in violation thereof, it shall not be necessary to show that the port of departure was, at the precise time of departure of such vessel, actually infected with contagious or infectious disease, nor that ten days' official promulgation in the port from which said vessels sailed should have been effected. It seems preferable that all vessels from foreign ports coming to ports of the United States shall be required to have bills of health. It is also recommended that the medical officer who is to serve in the office of a consul at a foreign port may be either detailed by the President or appointed by the board at its discretion. 6th. That the National Board of Health, or in the interval of its sessions, in seasons of emergency, the executive committee, shall be charged with the duty of reporting to the President when any given city or locality is considered to be dangerously infected with contagious or infectious disease; and that upon the official publication by the President of such report the transportation of goods or persons from the place thus proclaimed as dangerously infected into other States shall be forbidden under penalties to be imposed under the jurisdiction of United States courts, unless such transportation is carried on in accordance with the rules and regulations approved by the National Board of Health. These rules shall apply until the President shall publicly declare said place no longer dangerously infected, and in the mean time the National Board of Health shall make to the President weekly reports as to the sanitary condition of such place. 7th. That the President shall be authorized to call an international sanitary conference to meet at Washington, D. C., to which the several powers having jurisdiction of ports likely to be infected with yellow |