State board of health. 
273 
mary duty will devolve upon this board, to carefully study defects 
of our registration laws with the view of such modification as may 
be necessary to secure intelligent and full registration returns from 
every town and city in the state. 
It is further made the duty of this board to make sanitary inves¬ 
tigations and inquiries respecting the causes of disease, and 
especially of epidemics; the causes of mortality, and the effects of 
localities, employments, conditions, ingesta, habits and circum¬ 
stances on the health of the people.” These themes are suggestive, 
stimulating, grand. 
Let the public mind become enlightened as to the nature and 
causation of diseases, and the means of their prevention, and let 
there be a corresponding thoughtfulness and care in the observance 
of preventive measures, and not only will the death rate throughout 
the state be materially lessened, but it will be demonstrated to 
every observing mind that sanitary and economic science are in¬ 
separable in a wise administration of civil government. 
On the very threshold of the second century of our national life, 
Wisconsin inaugurates this movement — a movement which, in its 
scope and aim., is likely to be one of the grandest and most benefi¬ 
cent of any that shall command the thought and engage the services 
of the physician and philanthropist, as the decades of this century 
pass, not only in this state, but every state of the Union and on 
every continent. 
To us is given the honor, and upon us rests the responsibility of 
the initiatory work of the state. It is for us to make the work of 
this board '‘’•popular with.^ because useful to, the people of the 
state.” 
CIRCULAR No. 2. 
Office of the State Board of Health, 
Appleton, Wisconsin, August, 1876. 
Dear Sir: This board is desirous of securing information in 
reference to such diseases as may be prevalent in different parts of 
the state, and for use, if desirable, in the first annual report of the 
board. In selecting you as one of its correspondents,, it is hoped 
that you will have the kindness to answer the following inquiries: 
18 —A 
