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and the said clerks of town and local boards of health, and the said PRACTICING PHYSICIANS shall give such information, in reply to said inquiries, of such facts and circumstances as shall have come to their knowledge.

REPLIES.

The reports, on the following pages, received from local correspondents and others of the medical profession in the several cities, towns and villages of the State, will give a good representation of the general status of the public health during the year 1889, as to the presence or absence of epidemics or endemics, or large prevalence of important or unusual diseases in the several locations, the sanitary conditions and improvements, if any, in their several circuits, and other suggestions in response to the preceding circular :

ANNUAL REPORTS OF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENTS.

BRISTOL COUNTY.

2. BRISTOL.

3. Taking sickness of all kinds, the general amount has been probably 25 per cent. less than usual.

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Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Sporadic. Mild. August and September.

Fever, Malarial. None indigenous.

Fever, Typhoid. Sporadic. Mild. September and October.

Whooping Cough. Epidemic. Average severity. July, August, September.

No diseases confined to any particular localities.

5. No zymotic disease epidemic, except Whooping cough.

Bronchitis, Acute. Average prevalence. February, March, April.
Pneumonia. Small prevalence. May and October.

Rheumatism. Small prevalence. August.

Stomach, Acute Diseases of. Very few.

6. No disease had unusually large prevalence during the year, except Whooping Cough.

7. No diseases have been attended with unusual fatality.

9. As to any advance in public sentiment, or views of individuals, in regard to increased interest in means of preventing diseases, I learn, from conversation with private persons, that there is an increasing appreciation of the importance of good sanitary surroundings. One street in this town sewered by private parties.

10. I know of no source of ill health in my circuit, other than the close approximation of wells to privy vaults, cesspools, etc.

H. S. SWAN, M. D.

2. WARREN, BARRINGTON.

3. Taking sickness of all kinds, there has been 25 per cent. more than usual in my circuit, during the past year,

4. The following zymotic diseases have prevailed:

Cholera Infantum. Sporadic. Mild. Summer. No. Warren.
Croup. Much less than usual

Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Sporadic. Mild. Summer. Not localized.
Not localized.

Diphtheria. Sporadic. Mild. Fall.

Fever, Malarial. Sporadic. Milder.

in Warren.

Fall and spring. Not localized. None

Fever, Typhoid. Sporadic. Severe. Fall. Manufacturing blocks.

Measles. Sporadic. Severe. Fall. General.

5. No zymotic disease epidemic.

Diseases not zymotic :

Brain, Inflammation and Congestion of. Mild. Occasional.

Bronchitis, Acute. Excessive amount.

Winter.

Pneumonia. Rather above the usual amount.

Rheumatism. Less than former years.

6. No other diseases had unusually large prevalence.

7. No diseases attended with unusual fatality.

9. A health officer, appointed by the town council, has been an efficient aid in doing away with unsanitary conditions.

10. No generally believed source of ill health in my circuit.

KENT COUNTY.

G. L. CHURCH, M. D.

2.

COVENTRY AND WARWICK, RIVER POINT AND VICINITY.

3. There has been about the average amount of sickness, taking all kinds. Less during the summer months.

4. The following zymotic diseases have prevailed during the year :

Cholera Infantum. About the usual amount.

Croup. A few cases.

Summer.

Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Usual amount. Fall and summer.

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Measles. Epidemic. Summer and fall. Warwick.

Scarlatina. Not so much as last year.

Whooping cough. Quite prevalent. Early in the year. 5. No other zymotic disease epidemic.

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Pneumonia. Usual amount.

Rheumatism. Increase during summer and fall.

6. Influenza (la Grippe) commenced the last two weeks in December, and attacked nearly two thirds of the inhabitants through the Pawtuxet Valley. The disease itself was not fatal in its character, but its effects were quite serious. The epidemic at the present time is abating rapidly (January 27, '90).

9. Some advance in public sentiment has been made in regard to the impor tance of sanitary surroundings. Complaints are continually being made in regard to cesspools and vaults, and the owners show commendable activity in abating the nuisances.

10. No generally believed source of ill health in this circuit.

2. COVENTRY and portions of adjoining towns.

A. G. SPRAGUE, M. D.

3. Taking sickness of all kinds, the general amount during the past year, with me, has been more than the average.

4. The following zymotic diseases have prevailed:

Cholera Infantum. Sporadic. Average. June. Quidnick.

Croup. Sporadic. Severe. February. Washington.

Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Sporadic. Mild. July, August and September. In villages.

Diphtheria. Sporadic. Average. October, September. Anthony and Washington.

Fever, Malarial. None, except visitors from abroad, occasionally.

Fever, Typhoid. Sporadic. Average. August and September. Washington. One case only, but a genuine one. Every precaution taken to prevent its spreading. (Continued 34 days.)

Measles. None, except the German variety, which was epidemic in the spring and summer months throughout this vicinity.

Scarlatina. Sporadic on Weaver Hill, where it went from Washington, in spring of 1888. Subsided through summer months. Broke out anew in the fall of 1888. Then subsided again. But in October, 1889, appeared again on north side of the hill, in an isolated house where none of the inmates had exposure of any kind whatsoever that could be learned. Whole family had it thoroughly and made good recoveries. No admission to house was allowed, and there have been no new cases.

Whooping Cough. None.

5. No zymotic disease epidemic.

Other diseases:

Brain, Inflammation and Congestion of. An occasional case throughout the year.

Bronchitis, Acute. Large prevalence. October and November.

Pneumonia. Large prevalence at Noose Neck Hill, in March and April. More than average, in October, November, December, throughout the circuit.

Rheumatism. About the average. Some severe cases.

Stomach, Acute, diseases of. But few cases, in summer.

6. Bronchitis and Pneumonia had a rather large prevalence during the past

year.

7. No diseases have been attended with unusual fatality.

8. As to circumstances within my observation or knowledge that seemed to indicate that Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria and Typhoid Fever had been taken or communicated from one person to another, I have long been satisfied that they are communicable. Have plenty of evidences, but no new kind of evidence worth repeating.

9. As to any advance in public sentiment in regard to increased interest in means of preventing disease, I may say I hope there has been, but improvement goes very slowly.

10. No generally believed source of ill health in this circuit, but some cases of ill constructed sink drains do probably cause disease.

F. B. SMITH, M. D.

2. EAST GREENWICH AND PARTS OF WARWICK AND NORTH KINGSTOWN. 3. There has been the usual amount of general sickness during the last year. The following zymotic diseases have prevailed:

Cholera Infantum. Sporadic. Generally mild. Summer and autumn. Village, mostly.

Croup. Sporadic. Severe. Spring. Village, mostly.

Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Sporadic. Not severe.

Diphtheria. Sporadic. Mild.

Fever, Typhoid. Sporadic. Mild. Autumn. Village and country.

Measles. Sporadic. Mild. December. Country.

Scarlatina. Sporadic. Not many cases, but some severe and fatal. Septem

ber, October. Village.

Other diseases not zymotic :

Bronchitis, Acute. Quite prevalent. November and December.

Pneumonia. Occasional cases all through the year.

Rheumatism. Not much.

6. Organic Disease of Heart, with resultant effusion.

8. Scarlet Fever, as it has prevailed this year, has been in families, not spread

ing outside, although no great precautions were taken to prevent it.

9. Not very much advance in sanitary sentiment observable.

10. No especial source of ill-health known.

J. H. ELDRIDGE, M. D.

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