(1) Dipping of domestic animals for the destruction of adult ticks. (2) The killing of small wild animals, which serve as hosts for the immature ticks.

(3) Sheep grazing.

The dipping of domestic animals in the southern half of the Bitter Root Valley was carried out by means of the three vats erected in the west side foothills. The working radius of each vat is 5 miles, and all of the animals within this area suspected of harboring ticks were dipped regularly at intervals of 10 days from the last week in March until the middle of May. After the 15th of May very few ticks were found attached to the cattle, but the horses continued to pick them up until well along in June.

The following table gives the number of domestic animals dipped, including redippings, in three districts in the Bitter Root Valley during the fiscal year:

Sheep (after completion grazing experiment and shearing).

846

In addition to dipping, all domestic animals were regularly inspected for attached ticks at weekly intervals.

From observations made on the dipping of domestic animals, as conducted in the Victor district during the past five years, it appears that the dipping will cause a certain reduction in the tick infestation, but that this procedure alone will not entirely exterminate the ticks, and unless supplemented by some other method of tick eradication it must be continued indefinitely in order to prevent reinfestation. The killing of small, wild animals, which was begun in the Victor district in 1911 and extended to the Hamilton and Goldcreek districts in 1913, was carried on throughout the entire southern half of the Bitter Root Valley during the present season. The territory actually covered in these operations comprises a narrow strip on the western border of the valley, averaging 2 miles in width and 50 miles long, in which is included slightly more unfenced than fenced land. The small animal principally considered, because it is most numerous in the Bitter Root Valley and shows a higher percentage of tick infestation, was the ground squirrel (Citellus columbianus).

In carrying on the work of destroying small animals effort has been made to secure the cooperation of the landowners to the extent of their furnishing the labor required in freeing their property from such animal pests. The following measures were employed in the destruction of small animals in this territory: (1) Trapping, (2) shooting, (3) poisoning, and (4) use of carbon bisulphide pumps.

Of these methods, shooting and poisoning were found to yield the best results. One thousand pounds of poisoned oats were distributed, the greater part by the farmers on their own land, early in the season. In parts of the foothills the results showed more than 90 per cent of

the squirrel population killed by one poisoning. In the meadows and fields the results obtained were not so good. Thirty thousand .22-caliber cartridges were distributed to the farmers living on the west side of the valley. The number of squirrels killed in this way was well worth the expenditure involved. The carbon bisulphide pump does not appear to work well in loose, sandy soil of the Bitter Root Valley.

SHEEP GRAZING.

Two flocks of sheep were grazed on the west side of the valley during the present season, and in addition many of the farmers have begun to purchase a few head of sheep and are attempting to breed small bands of their own for the protection which they will give while grazing around the ranches. Two deductions appear to be warranted from the sheep-grazing experiments which have been conducted in the Bitter Root Valley during the past three seasons: First, by starting a large number of sheep in at the foothills and grazing them back into the mountains, the entire tick infestation may be removed from the valley, and, second, the individual farmers living on the west side of the valley can secure small bands of sheep having heavy, greasy coats and graze them around their ranches in such a way as to greatly reduce the tick infestation and the consequent danger of Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection.

SANITARY, EDUCATIONAL, AND RELIEF WORK IN ALASKA.

The sanitary, educational, and relief work in Alaska has been performed in cooperation with the Bureau of Education, Department of the Interior, under the direction of Passed Asst. Surg. Emil Krulish. The sanitary work includes the prevention of the spread of communicable diseases, the enforcement of quarantine regulations, and the management of outbreaks. The educational work chiefly consists of the instruction of the representatives of the Bureau of Education in matters of sanitation and direct instruction of the people themselves. The relief work is performed upon the occasion of the visits of the sanitary officer to the various villages and settle

ments.

The plans and estimates of expenditures for the establishment of an adequate medical service for the natives of Alaska, under the Department of the Interior, prepared and submitted to Congress by the Commissioner of Education, with the advice and cooperation of the Public Health Service, resulted in an appropriation of $25,000. This sum is far below the estimate, but as it is the first appropriation for medical relief allowed by Congress it is most gratifying to those interested. At a conference between officials of the Bureau of Education and officers of the Public Health Service, held in Washington, to consider the expenditure of this fund, it was decided to build and equip a hospital at Juneau, which will be available to the 5,000 natives located in southeastern Alaska. Institutions of this character are essential factors in the eradication of diseases among the native population, and it is hoped that the next appropriation will permit hospitals to be established in other sections of the Territory.

The reports of teachers in the Alaska school service indicate that the health of the natives has been exceptionally good and that the sanitary conditions in the villages and homes are improving. The teachers are the only "doctors" and health officers in the majority of the native settlements, and they have been impressed with the fact that instruction in health matters is just as essential as teaching the three R's. The order abolishing the public towel and drinking cup in the schools, the talks on elementary hygiene and sanitation delivered before meetings of natives in their homes, and the supplying of teachers with medicine chests and medical handbooks, are some of the factors utilized in this health campaign. Pamphlets on the cause, prevention, and cure of tuberculosis have been issued to pupils throughout the school service, and "How to keep well" cards placed in the homes. Various bulletins issued by the Public Health Service on health subjects have been distributed to the field workers for their information and guidance. This campaign against disease has resulted in the general improvement of the health of the natives of Alaska, and already the morbidity and mortality rates from the various diseases have begun to fall."

An intensive sanitary campaign was carried on in southeastern Alaska during the winter. The native villages were visited in turn and as much time as required devoted to sanitary and relief work in each community. For the lack of hospitals, equipment, and assistance the relief work was necessarily limited and at times unsatisfactory. In the surgical work the teacher usually assisted the operator and the schoolroom was utilized as an operating room.

The following is a record of diseases and injuries treated and oper ations performed:

Record of diseases and injuries:

Tuberculosis, all forms..

Bronchitis_.

Tonsillitis..

Pharyngitis..

Bronchopneumonia

Pleurisy

Empyema__

Toothache_.

Constipation, chronic_.

Gastritis._

Errors of refraction.

Pterygium___.

Corneal opacity

Conjunctivitis_

Trachoma_

Dacrocystitis_

Cataract

Keratitis

Influenza..

Scrofula.

Dentition.

Varicella.

Rachitis

Syphilis

Valvular heart diseas

Rheumatism.

Lumbago_

Sciatica.

Burns_

Impetigo.

Amendment No. 6 to the interstate quarantine regulations, mulgated January 25, 1913, provides that common carriers furnish certificates of purity of all water and ice used by passe on cars, vessels, or vehicles operated in interstate traffic, such c cates to be provided by State and municipal authorities w whose jurisdiction the supply is obtained. The enforcement of regulation is now on a much more satisfactory basis.

The sources of supply of all lines are classified by States, m cations being made from time to time of the tabulated lists. number of sources has materially increased during the year as pliance with the regulation became more general. The certif as forwarded by steamship lines and railroad companies are ch against such lists, certificates being renewed twice a year. N cation is given all lines when such certificates become due.

State and municipal health authorities have cooperated in th forcement of the regulation. In certain municipalities regula systematic bacteriological examination of the water supply i rule, but in a much larger number of towns and cities no exa tion is conducted, the purity of the water not being questi The enforcement of the interstate quarantine regulations has 1 an investigation of these supplies, and in numerous instance water has been found grossly contaminated. An outcome, t fore, of the enforcement of the present regulation has been not to improve the quality of the water furnished passengers on mon carriers, but indirectly to raise the standard of that use the general public. Furthermore, in at least one State, the re

tions have given the State department of health an opportunity to bring about improvement in several of the smaller municipal supplies, authority to accomplish which had not been granted under State laws.

Whenever a supply is reported as polluted, the common carrier is directed to discontinue the use of the water or by proper treatment to render it incapable of conveying disease, acknowledgment of the receipt of the notification to this effect being required. Should a subsequent examination show that the quality of the water has improved to such an extent as to render it safe for consumption, the interdiction is removed. Water of a suspicious character is reexamined until sufficient data is obtained upon which to base a decision. A large number of polluted water supplies have thus been discovered, and measures to prevent contamination have immediately been instituted. In the majority of instances common carriers have voluntarily relinquished the use of such supplies when the pollution was determined.

In certain cases State and municipal authorities have evidenced a reluctance in certifying to either the purity or the contamination of the supply. In instances of this character officers have been detailed to make sanitary surveys of such supplies to determine by bacteriological examination the quality of the water. In the greater number of these cases contamination has been found.

During the year two amendments to the interstate quarantine regulations, relating to water furnished by common carriers, have been adopted.

PURE DRINKING WATER FOR CREWS AND EMPLOYEES OF COMMON CARRIERS ENGAGED IN INTERSTATE TRAFFIC.

(Amendment to Interstate Quarantine Regulations No. 8, Public Health Service.)

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,
Washington, September 16, 1914.

To medical officers of the Public Health Service, State and local health authorities, and others concerned:

The following amendment is hereby made to the interstate quarantine regulations promulgated by this department September 27, 1894, and amended August 17, 1905, June 24, 1909, May 15, 1912, October 30, 1912, December 9, 1912, January 25, 1913, and June 4, 1914, said amendment and regulations being in accordance with section 3, act of Congress approved February 15, 1893. Article 3, General Regulations, is hereby amended by the addition of the following paragraph:

PAR. 17. Common carriers while engaging in interstate traffic shall not furnish to their crews or employees any polluted water for drinking purposes which may contain organisms or materials likely to cause a contagious or infectious disease, nor shall such carriers maintain or permit to be maintained upon their vessels or vehicles, or at or near their stations or other ordinary stopping places over which they may have control, any tank, cistern, receptacle, hydrant, or article with water which may contain such impurities, in such manner that water therefrom may be conveniently obtained by the crews and employees mentioned for drinking purposes, unless such common carriers maintain a notice upon said vessels or vehicles and at, near, or upon every said tank, cistern, receptacle, hydrant, pump, well, stream, brook, pool, ditch, or other place or article, with water therein containing such impurities, forbidding the use of such water for drinking purposes by the crews or employees of the said common carriers or by the general public while engaging in interstate commerce. W. G. MCADOO, Secretary.