among the baggage containing the wearing apparel of the passengers, the necessity for some effective rules, which will apply the same in Pennsylvania as in Colorado, is the most apparent. Cannot this be accomplished, and may we have your co-operation to that end?

"In looking over the above rules, the following inquiries are suggested: Is it policy to have a list of specified dangerous diseases that will not be carried, as in rule 1, and should this list stand, or be extended?

"There being a difference of opinion among health officers as to danger in transporting bodies dead of certain diseases, should we not take the safe side in case of doubt as in first part of rule 2?

"Will the rule for preparing bodies for shipment be effective, or should there also be an injection of fluids in the cavities? What should be the extra expense of thus preparing dead bodies?

"What should be the additional expense of ordinary air-tight zinc, copper, lead-lined, or iron coffins or caskets as compared with other ordinary coffins or caskets that are not claimed to be air-tight? The question of expense in this matter is a very serious one, and of course must not be overlooked; will this scheme be prohibitory in the case of people of ordinary or limited means?

"Is there any standard by which undertakers are graded to ascertain whether competent or not? are they examined before being allowed to practice the art of embalming, as are physicians before practicing their profession? if not, what assurance have the public of any safety, even though a certain undertaker made oath that he had prepared a body for shipment in accordance with the rules? Should not each State require undertakers to take out a license and pass examination before a competent board of examiners before he is allowed to prepare a dead body for shipment out of that State?

"Is there any penalty in your State for making false affidavit or issuing false certificate, either as to cause of death, or as to preparation of the body for transportation? and if not, should there not be some legislation that will give the necessary protection? Who in your opinion should look after this matter?

"Is it not desirable that all permits for the removal of dead bodies be issued by the boards of health, and can this not be done in all cases even in small towns or country districts?

"Is it not desirable that a nearly uniform style of removal permits be used, to insure definite and necessary information, to enable persons to transport dead bodies through several States without danger of being stopped at some intermediate point? Please send samples of permits used in your territory.

"To enable the committee to prepare their report, we would request that all communications on the subject be sent to the secretary at Detroit, Mich., on or before December 1.'

Suggestions were received by this association from the health authorities of all the States and from Canada, and as a result a new set of rules was formulated. Regarding this subject, the following letter was received:

BOSTON, MASS., March 21, 1889.

Dr. I. A. Watson, Secretary State Board of Health, Concord, N. H.: DEAR SIR, - We, the undersigned, general baggage agents of the railways interested in the matter of transporting dead bodies in the State of New Hampshire, would respectfully call your attention to the corrected rules and samples of forms approved at the San Francisco meeting of the National Association of General Baggage Agents, of which we are members.

You will note there have been several changes made in the proposed rules since they were submitted to the State Board of Health of your State, and we would therefore request they all be submitted again for approval, and, that the proposed changes may be better understood, we inclose you that part of the record of our proceedings which gives the full report of the committee.

There is seemingly but one sentiment among health officers as well as railroad men: that the interests of the public health demand uniformity in the matter of transporting the bodies of the dead; yet this is not an easy thing to accomplish unless each state board, and all for that matter, will yield a point in the interests of harmony, and after due consideration of all suggestions offered, we believe the rules now proposed cover all the essential features, and embody the sentiments of a larger proportion of those with whom we have corresponded, and harmonize the conflicting opinions as nearly as it is possible until the several state boards of health can get nearer together, and public sentiment demands some standard of authority by which undertakers are examined as to their competency in the matter of preparing dead bodies for shipment.

In the meantime we think it advisable to make the start in this territory, believing we will soon be working under uniform rules throughout the United

States and Canada. It is desirable, however, to accomplish this with as little friction as possible, and we would therefore suggest they go into effect about September Ist of this year. Will this meet the approval of your Board? We suggest this date as it will give ample time to give notice in the larger towns and cities and to all undertakers.

Will you kindly lay this matter before the State Board of Health for approval, and will you advise Mr. J. E. Quick, secretary, Detroit, Michigan, of the result of your deliberations as soon as convenient? We would add that similar letters are being sent to the several state boards of health.

W. R. BRACKETT,

General Business Agent, Boston & Lowell Railroad.

J. M. JONES,

General Business Agent, Concord Railroad.

F. H. KINGSBURY,

General Business Agent, Cheshire Railroad.

Subsequent to the receipt of the above letter, the following communication was received from the secretary of the National Association of General Baggage Agents:

DETROIT, MICH., Nov. 25, 1889.

I. A. Watson, Secretary State Board of Health, Concord, N. H.: DEAR SIR, - Yours of the 22d at hand, relating to rules regarding the transportation of dead bodies. I would state that it is the intention of the Association to have said rules put into effect January 1, so far as practicable, and a great many lines are getting out their instructions now regarding them, so that all will be prepared by that time. The Ohio state board has already issued a public circular that the rules are in effect, and for local boards to enforce them, which should be done in all States. In this State the board has issued a public indorsement, which is printed in the public rules as issued by the railroads.

I expect it will take some time to get these fully working throughout the United States, but it is only a question of time when they will be.

Yours,

J. E. QUICK,
Secretary.

It will be seen by the foregoing letter that it is the intention of the transportation companies to have these rules take effect about the 1st of January, 1890. In the meantime it is probable that suitable transportation permits will be prepared, in order that there may be no friction or misunderstanding in carrying out the regulations.

It may be remarked that many of the States have already adopted these resolutions, and the secretary of this Board has notified the secretary of the National Association of General Baggage Agents that New Hampshire will heartily co-operate in the needed reform. The following are the

RULES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF DEAD BODIES.

RULE 1. The transportation of bodies of persons dead of small-pox, Asiatic cholera, leprosy, typhus fever, or yellow fever, is absolutely forbidden.

RULE 2. The bodies of those who have died of diphtheria, anthrax, scarlet fever, puerperal fever, erysipelas, measles, and other contagious, infectious, or communicable diseases must be wrapped in a sheet thoroughly saturated with a strong solution of bi-chloride of mercury, in the proportion of one ounce of bi-chloride of mercury to a gallon of water, and encased in an air-tight zinc, tin, copper, or lead lined coffin, or in an air-tight iron casket, hermetically sealed, and all inclosed in a strong, tight, wooden box; or the body must be prepared for shipment by being wrapped in a sheet and disinfected by a solution of bi-chloride of mercury as above, and placed in a strong coffin or casket, and said coffin or casket encased in a hermetically sealed (soldered) zinc, copper, or tin case, and all inclosed in a strong outside wooden box of material not less than one inch and a half thick.

RULE 3. In cases of contagious, infectious, or communicable diseases, the body must not be accompanied by persons who, or articles which, have been exposed to the infection of the disease. And in addition to permit from board of health or proper health authority, agents will require an affidavit from the shipping undertaker, stating how body has been prepared, and kind of coffin or casket used, which must be in conformity with rule 2.

RULE 4. The bodies dead of diseases not contagious, infectious, or communicable, may be received for transportation to local points in same State when encased in a sound coffin or metallic case, and enclosed in a strong wooden box, securely fastened so it may be safely handled. But when it is proposed to transport them out of the State to an interstate point (unless the time required for transportation from the initial point to destination does not exceed eighteen hours), they must be encased in an air-tight zinc, tin, copper, or lead lined coffin, or an air-tight iron casket, or a strong coffin or casket encased in a hermetically sealed (soldered) zinc, copper, or tin case, and all in closed in a strong outside wooden box of material not less than one inch thick. In all cases the outside box must be provided with four iron chest handles.

RULE 5. Every dead body must be accompanied by a person in charge, who must be provided with a ticket, and also present a full first-class ticket marked "corpse," and a transit permit from board of health, or proper health authority, giving permission for the removal, and showing name of deceased, age, place of death, cause of death, and (if of a contagious or infectious nature) the point to which it is to be shipped, medical attendant, and name of undertaker.

RULE 6. The transit permit must be made with a stub to be retained by the person issuing it; the original permit must accompany the body to destination, and two coupons, the first coupon to be detached by agent at initial point and sent to the general baggage agent, and the second coupon by the last train baggageman. The stub permit and coupons must be numbered so the one will refer to the other, and on back of permit will be a space for undertaker's affidavit, to be used in cases of contagious or infectious diseases as required by rules 2 and 3.

RULE 7. The box containing corpse must be plainly marked with paster, showing name of deceased, place of death, cause of death, the point to which it is to be shipped, number of transit permit issued in connection, and name of person in charge of the remains. There must also be blank spaces at bottom of paster for station agent at initial point, to fill in the form and number of passage ticket, where from, where to, and route to destination of such ticket.

RULE 8. It is intended that no dead body shall be moved which may be the means of spreading disease; therefore, all disinterred bodies, dead from any disease or cause, will be treated as infectious and dangerous to public health, and will not be accepted for transportation unless said removal has been approved by the State Board of Health, and the consent of the health authority of the locality to which the corpse is consigned has first been obtained, and the disinterred remains inclosed in a hermetically sealed (soldered) zinc, tin, or copper lined coffinor box, or a box encased in a hermetically sealed (soldered) zinc, tin, or copper case.

WATER AND WATER ANALYSIS IN RELATION TO DISEASE.

BY PROF. E. R. ANGELL, DERRY, N. H.

There is a fatal precision in the combination of the elements. They unite according to fixed affinities and in definite quantities, with mathematical exactness. The same results always follow the same causes, and their permanency seems eternal, except other elements of greater affinity present themselves. Then a change occurs. Properties and identity are lost. Different ones appear. New existences are evolved out of old ones. Material is not lost; but compounds and form and properties are changed. Introduce a principle which arranges the mineral into forms agreeable to its own nature, and has the power to propagate itself, which for a time continues to increase its structure by the