500 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The only explanation of tbe great difference in the mortality is 

 the larger amount of pure air supplied, and the better ventilation 

 of the stables. 



And again, in the report of the State Board of Health of 

 New Hampshire for 1892, in speaking of this matter, it 

 says : — 



There is no doubt of the great mortality from consumption in 

 persons living in badly ventilated rooms. A few years ago the pro- 

 portion of deaths among the soldiers of European armies from this 

 cause was very high ; but now, owing to better ventilation, 

 the other conditions remaining the same, the percentage has greatly 

 fallen. In one regiment in England, when the barracks were not 

 ventilated, the death-rate for lung diseases was 12^ per 1,000; 

 but after efficient ventilation had been introduced it fell to 1^ 

 per 1,000. 



Parkes gives a similar example from two hospitals in Vienna. 

 In one, very badly ventilated, of 4,280 prisoners, 220, or 51.4 

 per 1,000, died of consumption ; of these, 42 of galloping con- 

 sumption. In the well-ventilated hospital, of 3,037 prisoners, 24 

 only, or 7.9 per 1,000, died of the same disease. The conditions 

 in the two hospitals, excepting ventilation, being alike, the badly 

 ventilated one had six and a half times as many deaths from this 

 cause alone as the better- aired one. 



The statistics collected by Dr. Buchanan on this subject 

 are also instructive : — 



In Salisbury, England, after the introduction of improved drain- 

 age, the annual death rate from phthisis fell from 44^- per 10,000 

 to 22i per 10,000 between 1857 and 1864. In the same period of 

 time, in the towns of Ely, Rugby, "Worthing, Macclesfielf , Leices- 

 ter, Newport and Banbury, the death rate from phthisis fell 47, 

 43, 36, 51, 52, 52 and 50 per cent., respectively, in consequence 

 of improved drainage alone. 



The importance of this matter is also shown in the report 

 on the experimental work by Ernst and Peters, atMattapan, 

 where, in referring to the effect of improved sanitary condi- 

 tions on diseased cows, it says : — 



Before the farm buildings were used at all, they were thoroughly 

 cleaned from top to bottom. Every portion of old manure was 

 carted away, as well as all the old earth. The whole of the wood- 



