obscured for a considerable period by the heavy and lasting snow which accompanied it. A detailed statement relative to the character of the nuisances which have been abated appears in the following table. These figures are available for comparison, however, only with those of 1897-98, as the methods of tabulation which have prevailed during the last two years differ materially from those formerly in vogue.

TABLE K.-Consolidated report of nuisances for the year ended June 30, 1899.

Nature of nui sance.

Total.

July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June.

Under the provisions of an act to provide for the drainage of lots, approved May 19, 1896, sewer connections, including the substitution of water-closets for box privies, have been enforced in 711 cases.

FOOD INSPECTION.

A tabular statement of the work of the department relative to the inspection and condemnation of unwholesome food will be found in Table L. A statement relative to the inspection of food, for the purpose of determining whether adulterated or not, appears in connection with the discussion of the work of the chemical laboratory, and, at greater length, in the report of the chemist, which appears in the appendix.

TABLE L.-Unwholesome food condemned during the year ended June 30, 1899.

TABLE L.-Unwholesome food condemned during the year ended June 30, 1899-Cont'd.

The work of the inspector of marine products is sufficiently indicated in the following tables. The previous recommendations of this department for the construction of a proper fish wharf are respectfully renewed. TABLE M.-Inspection and condemnation of marine products for the year ended June 30,

TABLE M.-Inspection and condemnation of marine products for the year ended June 30, 1899-Continued.

The inspection service of the health department is not constituted so as to permit an efficient inspection of live stock intended for slaughter. Only 49 inspections of abattoirs and slaughterhouses have been made. These resulted, however, in the condemnation of 15 carcasses of hogs and 7 of cattle. Examinations of pork killed in this District have demonstrated the presence in some cases of trichina, the causative agent of trichinosis in man. From these examinations it would appear that this disease exists among the hogs here about as frequently as it exists among those killed in other places for export.

INSPECTION OF DAIRIES, DAIRY FARMS, AND DAIRY PRODUCTS.

During the past year 44 applications have been received and acted upon, for permission to maintain dairy farms in the District of Columbia; 23 such applications were granted and the remainder rejected. Of 133 applications for permission to maintain dairies, 103 were granted and 30 rejected. Of 101 applications for permission to send milk into the District of Columbia, 95 were granted and 6 rejected. Of permits which were in force at the beginning of the year, 98 for the maintenance of dairy farms, 373 for the maintenance of dairies, and 82 for the importation of milk have been canceled. At the close of the year there were therefore in force 152 permits for the maintenance of dairy farms

in the District of Columbia, 390 for the maintenance of dairies, and 600 for the importation of milk. These figures do not correspond with those published in the report for 1897-98; the latter have been found to be incorrect. The examination of dairy products from chemical and bacte riological standpoints has been considered in connection with the work of the chemical laboratory.

A constant supervision has been exercised over the sanitary condition of dairy farms and dairies, and of the cattle connected with the former within the District of Columbia, and of dairy farms and cattle in adjoining States so far as it has been possible to reach them by means of a horse and buggy. It is hoped that in the future the contingent fund will be increased sufficiently to permit the extension of this supervision so as to include every dairy farm from which milk is shipped into this District. The importance and value of this work was demonstrated on one occasion during the past year by the discovery of an outbreak of scarlet fever due to the presence of an undiagnosed case of this disease on one of the farms which supplied milk throughout the city. Before this outbreak was checked the number of cases traced to this milk supply amounted to 65. The ability of the health department to check the outbreak was due entirely to the law regulating the sale of milk which is now in force; corresponding authority did not exist prior to its passage. One hundred and ninety-eight examinations were made of dairy farms in the adjoining States from which milk is shipped into the District and 398 of local dairy farms. The number of cattle ordinarily kept on the premises inspected is 3,280. The individual animals of the herds are, of course, constantly changing, and as all the cattle of the farm are inspected at each visit the number examined was probably between four and five thousand. The number of cows actually condemned as unfit for dairy purposes was 120. This does not include such as were ordered out of the dairy herds for a time, because of conditions which interfered only temporarily with the wholesomeness of their milk. Dairy farmers have not availed themselves to any extent of the offer of this department to pass on the condition of cattle before purchase; in only five instances have such examinations been. requested during the entire year.

Further information and suggestions relative to the production and sale of milk can be found in the reports of the chemist and of the inspector of live stock and dairy farms, which appear in the appendix.

GARBAGE AND DEAD ANIMALS.

There have been collected during the past year 20,946 tons of garbage. The number of dead animals which has been collected is 8,162. Nine hundred and twenty-nine complaints have been received of failure on the part of the contractor to render proper service, a daily average of 2.05. Of these, 431 have been clearly due to neglect on the part of the contractor and 21 to neglect on the part of the householder. In 368 cases it was impossible to fix the responsibility, and in 109 investigation showed that the communication from the householder was intended merely as a request for new service.

The methods of collection, removal, and disposal remain the same as described in the preceding report. A detailed statement of the amount of garbage and night soil and the number of dead animals collected during each month of the present year and during each of the past ten years is appended, together with a table showing the daily cost and certain other data relative to the service during the year just ended.

D C 99-VOL III- -3