and Edinburgh, to 24-0 0 in Perth and 25 -6 in Greenock. The 721 deaths in the eight towns showed a decline of 75 from the number returned in the previous week, and included 67 which were referred to the principal epidemic diseases, against 55 and 71 in the two preceding weeks. These 76 deaths were equal to an annual rate of 1' 9 per 1000, which exceeded by 0' 5 the rate from the same diseases in the 76 English towns ; they included 19 which were referred to whooping-cough, 18 to "fever," 12 to

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... diarrhoea, nine to measles, six to diphtheria, three to scarlet fever, and not one to smallpox. The 19 fatal cases of whooping-cough showed a slight increase, and included 13 in Glasgow and four in Greenock. The 18 deaths from "fever" exceeded the number in any recent week, 14 occurring in Glasgow and four in Edinburgh ; 11 of these I I fever " deaths in Glasgow and three in Edinburgh were certified as cerebro-spinal meningitis. Four deaths were attributed to diarrhoea both in Glasgow and in Edinburgh. Five fatal cases of measles were returned in Aberdeen and two in Edinburgh; three deaths from diphtheria and the two from scarlet fever were recorded in Glasgow. The deaths in the eight towns referred to diseases of the respiratory organs, including pneumonia, which had been 119, 167, and 182 in the three preceding weeks, further rose to 185 in the week under notice, and exceeded the number not a fixed annual contribution from the Consolidated Fund for the whole of that part of the kingdom as at present, but a frank payment of the one-half of each parish doctor's salary as has long been the case in England, while the proportion, I believe, is still more in Ireland. J am, Sirs, yours faithfully, Jan. lst, 1907.