Resolved, That in the death of the Hon. Lewis Barker, the State Board of Health loses a fellow-worker who has endeared himself to every member of the Board by his genial ways, by his sympathy with the objects of the Board, and by his ready willingness to help, from his varied experience, in the solution of the many questions, legal and otherwise, that have arisen.

Resolved, That we can poorly express in words our sorrow for this loss—a loss deeply felt by the State at large.

At the annual meeting in March, Dr. Smith reported verbally to the Board the results of his examination of the animal vaccine establishments near Boston in accordance with the authorization to do so given at the last meeting of the Board. At this meeting he was instructed to make such futher examinations of these establishments and of any others as he deems necessary, and to make a full report of the results to the Board.

The Secretary was instructed to request Dr. J. B. Hamilton, Supervising Surgeon-General, Marine Hospital Service, Washington, D. C., to appoint Dr. C. D. Smith of Portland and Dr. M. L. Young of Vanceboro as special inspectors in accordance with the suggestion of Dr. Hamilton in relation to the exclusion of leprosy from this country.

The Secretary was further instructed to correspond with the Chief of the Signal Service to see what arrangements could be made with that office for the establishment of a larger number of local meteorological stations in the State.

At the quarterly meeting in June it was voted to authorize the Secretary to act for the Board in making appointments for local boards of health in those towns in which the municipal officers have been requested, in accordance with chapter 227, section 1, laws of 1889, to act, and have failed to do so; this power to be exercised only in an emergency.

At this meeting it was Resolved, That this State Board of Health learns with great satisfaction of the work of house to house sanitary inspection prosecuted by the local boards of health of Augusta and Portland, and that this board urges upon the local health boards of other cities and towns the necessity of carrying out such inspections so far as they may be able to do so, as adding in no small degree to the efficiency of their sanitary work and contributing directly to the public welfare.

Prof. Robinson gave a verbal report of the outbreak of rabies in Brunswick and of the measures that had been taken to prevent further spread of the infection. The Secretary was advised to instruct other towns, if need be, to take the following precautionary measures for the prevention of the spread of rabies, viz: To destroy all rabid animals, and to confine under competent observation all bitten animals and all under suspicion of having been bitten, or having come in contact with rabid animals, until the question of their being affected with the disease can be positively determined, and to require all dogs, without exception, to be securely muzzled and not permitted to run at large.

It was voted that the Secretary be authorized to act for the Board at his own discretion in giving permits for the disinterment and removal of dead bodies in accordance with the provisions of Rule 8 of the Rules and Regulations of the Association of General Baggage Agents," relating to such matters. These rules have been adopted by most of the railway companies in the country. They are as follows:

RULES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF DEAD BODIES,

ADOPTED BY THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL BAGGAGE AGENTS, AUGUST, 1889.

Rule 1. The transportation of bodies of persons dead of smallpox, 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, typhoid fever, erysipelas, measles, and other contagious, infectious or communicable diseases must be wrapped in a sheet thoroughly saturated with a strong solution of bichloride of mercury, in the proportion of one ounce of bichlorid of mercury to a gallon of water; and encased in an airtight zinc, tin, copper, or lead-lined coffin, or in an air-tight iron casket. hermetically sealed, aud all enclosed in a strong, tight wooden box; or the body must be prepared for shipment by being wrapped in a sheet and disinfected by solution of bichloride 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 enclosed 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 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 of persons dead of diseases that are not contagious, infectious or communicable, may be received for transportation to local points in same state, when encased in 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 18 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 enclosed 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 the 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 and 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 the 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 been first obtained, and the disinterred remains enclosed in a hermetically-sealed (soldered) zinc, tin or copper-lined coffin or box incased in hermetically-sealed (soldered) zinc, tin or copper cases.

At the quarterly meeting in December a communication from John S Billings, M. D., Washington, D. C., relative to the International Hygienic Congress to be held in London next August was presented, but action in the matter was deferred to a future meeting.

The Secretary called the attention of the Board to the report that the immigration from the old country to the West has been quite largely diverted from New York to the port of Halifax and the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and that, therefore, if this is true, the country will be subjected to considerable danger from imported infection, unless the inspection and quarantine service at the port of Halifax are trustworthy. The Secretary was instructed to correspond with Dr. Montezambert of Quebec, or with Dr. John B. Hamilton, Supervising Surgeon-General, Washington, D. C, to learn the truth as regards the condition of the quarantine regulations at Halifax. The following correspondence ensued:

AUGUSTA, Maine, January 15, 1891.

Dr. J. B. Hamilton, Surgeon-General, M. H. S.,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR:-Last year I learned from report that a considerable proportion of the foreign immigration which has hitherto landed at

New York had been diverted to a line of steamers landing at Halifax, Nova Scotia, whence it journeys to the West by the way of the Canadian Pacific Railroad which now traverses this State, entering at Vanceboro on the east and leaving the State near Lake Megantic near our northwest line.

I consequently was led to consider the question of the danger of importing infection into our country through this route, and requested Dr. M. L. Young of Vanceboro, recently appointed by you as Medical Inspector under your Department, to make inquiries as regards what precautions were taken at Halifax to prevent the entrance of infectious diseases. He made some inquiries by correspondence with the Halifax officials and the railroad officials, to learn the facts in the case, but did not find the persons of whom he made enquiries very communicative and therefore did not learn much.

I would therefore, respectfully suggest the expediency of your department taking measures to learn whether the Halifax quarantine system is trustworthy or not. The great bulk of this immigration, I presume. goes to the west, and, therefore, this is a matter which concerns the western states more than it does the State of Maine

Respectfully yours.

A. G. YOUNG. Secretary.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING SURGEON-GENERAL.

U S. MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE,

WASHINGTON, January 20, 1891.

Dr. A. G. Young, Secretary State Board of Health, Augusta, Me. DEAR SIR-I am in receipt of your letter of the 15th instant, asking relative to precautions taken at Halifax to prevent the introduction of infectious disease by the emigrants arriving at that port, and in reply, beg leave to say that a request has been made for a consular report, on receipt of which the desired information will be given you.

Respectfully yours.

JOHN B. HAMILTON,

Supervising Surgeon-General, M. H. S.