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factorily for the present wants of the Province. A similar alteration, now being made in another block of the buildings for male lunatics, will shortly be finished.

DEPOT.

The Depot being at present situated in a crowded and confined neighborhood, and its inmates being from age and infirmity unable to assist in maintaining it in a clean and orderly state, is not in as satisfactory a condition as we could desire; we hope it will shortly be removed to the Taranaki Buildings and placed under proper supervision.

GAOL.

The sanitary state of the Gaol is satisfactory, and no case of serious illness has occurred.

OUT-PATIENTS.

Our duties in attending out-patients have considerably increased this year, owing to the number of married men who have gone to the gold-fields, leaving their families in destitution.

VACCINATION.

When reports were received of the presence of small-pox in the harbors of Auckland and Otago, his Honor the Superintendent having requested us to make such suggestions as might occur to us for preventing its introduction into this Province. We advised that instructions should be sent to the Agents of this Province in England. 1. To take care that all emigrants had been properly vaccinated. 2. To see that the surgeons of the ships are provided with sealed tubes containing vaccine lymph, to meet the contingency of small-pox breaking out during the voyage. 3. To forward by each mail a set of tubes containing vaccine lymph which may be had at a very small cost in London, and preserves its properties for any length of time. These three suggestions have been for some time acted on. The first two, if carried out by the other Provinces as well as this, would almost prevent the possibility of the introduction of small-pox into these colonies. Since making these arrangements the Vaccination Act of the General Government has come into operation, and the supply obtained monthly from London has enabled us to furnish lymph to all the duly qualified medical men in this Province who have applied for it.

Several medical men in the other Provinces have also applied to us for a supply.

Public vaccination is practised at the Hospital on the last Saturday in the month, at 12 o\'clock; and on the following Saturday at the same hour, certificates are granted according to the requirements of the Vaccination Act.

The following memoranda on questions connected with the public health, though not strictly within our province as Hospital Surgeons, may we think be of sufficient public interest to be appended to our report.

TABULAR STATEMENT OF CAUSES OF DEATH DURING TWELVE MONTHS.

| | | |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1. Zymotic | Miasmatic | Febris Continua | 5 |
| | | Febris Remittens | 1 |
| | | Erysipelas | 1 |
| | | Dysentery | 3 |
| | | Influenza | 1 |
| | | Diphtheria | 7 |
| 2. Constitutional | Tubucular | Phthisis | 7 |
| | Carcinomatous | Cancer | 2 |
| 3. Local | Nervous Systemm | Cephalitis | 3 |
| | | Hydrocephalus | 4 |
| | | Spine Disease | 1 |
| | | Ramollissement | 1 |
| | | Convulsions | 3 |
| | | Apoplexy | 1 |
| | Organs of Circulation | Pericarditis | 1 |
| | | Heart Disease | 8 |
| | | Œdema Glottidis | 1 |
| | Organs of Respiration | Disease of the Lungs | 1 |
| | | Bronchitis | 2 |
| | | Croup | 2 |
| | | Peritonitis | 2 |
| | | Gastritis | 3 |
| | Organs of Digestion | Hepatitis | 1 |
| | | Dysenteria | 1 |
| | | Tabes Mesenterica | 2 |
| | | Constipation | 3 |
| | | Cutaneus | 1 |
| | | Ascites | 1 |
| | | Aphthæ | 1 |