To the Members of the Section on State Medicine and Public Hygiene of the American Medical Asso- 
ciation : 
Gentlemen :—In entering upon the duties assigned us as members of this Section, the question arises, What subject for 
investigation shall claim our labors for this year ? 
The example set by my predecessors would seem to make it my duty to propose some line of special investigation in 
order to concentrate the work of this Section. While the members of other Sections are left to select their own topics, and 
to bring before their respective Sections any subject they elect, this Section is formed in a peculiar manner, and its work is 
of such a kind as will elicit results of greater value when its efforts are concentrated upon some one subject. The field of 
State Medicine and Public Hygiene is so vast, and the results to be reached partake so largely of the statistical element, that 
I offer no apology for following the example of my predecessors. 
Dr. Bell, the first Chairman of this Section, proposed to the Section the important subject of Drainage as related to pub- 
lic health. I ask the members of the Section to take up a subject which might very properly follow in the order of investi- 
gation, viz water-supply as related to public health)^ 
This subject is so intimately connected with the health of the whole people, is a matter often receiving no adequate con- 
sideration, and is so often the cause of fatal sickness, or of chronic ill-health to large masses of our people, that it should 
command the early and earnest attention of this Section. 
It may be objected that this subject has already received very thorough consideration by leading scientific men and in 
highly educated communities. This is true, but it does not close the field to this Section. The legitimate field of our work 
is not alone to develop original fields of investigation, but to consider the conditions which unfavorably affect the health of 
the great mass. The water-supply of great cities is a subject of great importance; the conditions which affect the water- 
supply of rural districts are no less important. 
I ask the members of the Section, therefore, to take up the subject potable water, and water for culinary use, under the 
following topics : 
i°. Water-supply as affected by geological formation, including the rock formations, influence of different kinds of soils, 
depth of water-supply, etc. 
20. Influence of rain-fall and of drought upon the purity of the water. 
3°. Contamination of water by decomposing vegetable matter (influence of swamps, etc.), by decomposing animal matter 
(fcecal matter, influence of graveyards, etc.,) and sewage contamination of streams. 
4°. Spread of contagious diseases by water contamination. 
5°. Water-supply of cities. 
In treating these topics, it is desirable that the members, as far as possible, collect the facts that are to be found in their 
respective fields of inquiry, with cases of unusual sickness or other results connected with the water-supply. By thus call- 
ing the attention of persons in all parts of our country to causes of danger which are at work in their own vicinity, much 
good may be accomplished by removing the causes of a large amount of sickness. 
By calling attention to one field of inquiry, the Chairman disclaims any intention of excluding other subjects if the mem- 
bers desire to introduce them. Any article on other subjects to be read before the Section should be forwarded to the Sec- 
retary, Ezra M. Hunt, M. D., Metuchen, N. J., one month before the meeting of the Section. 
In the “ Plan of Organization” it is provided that “the Section on State Medicine and Public Hygiene shall be composed 
of one member from each State, representing as far as practicable the State Board of Health.” One prime condition of ad- 
vancing State Medicine and Public Hygiene is the organization of a State Board of Health in every State. A very large 
number of the States have no State Board of Health. The Chairman would respectfully but earnestly urge the members 
of this Section to use their best efforts to secure the early organization of such a Board in their respective States. It is a 
duty laid upon them by virtue of their representative position as members of this Section. 
In order that the results of investigations made by the several members of this Section may be combined into one gen- 
eral report for the consideration of the Section at its meeting, you are requested to make a report of your work on this sub- 
ject, and forward the same to me by the ist of April, 1876. R. C. KEDZIE, M. D., 
Lansing, Michigan, August 5, 1875. Chair?nan of Section on State Medicine and Public Hygiene.