============+=========================================+==============+ | DEATHS FROM TYPHOID FEVER. (Continued) | Deaths from | |----+----+----+----+----+----+----+------+ Typhoid fever| Year. | | | | | | | |Total | per year per | |Jne.|Jly.|Aug.|Sep.|Oct.|Nov.|Dec.|for | 100,000 | | | | | | | | |year. | population. | ------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+------+--------------+ Census 1901 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 40 | 54 | Estim. 1902 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 48 | " 1903 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 49 | 64 | " 1904 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 35 | " 1905 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 37 | 47 | " 1906 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 32 | 40 | " 1907 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 50 | 61 | " 1908 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 57 | 68 | " 1909 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 87 | 101 | ============+====+====+====+====+====+====+====+======+==============+ [4] Excluding deaths due to drowning in the great flood of August 27th and 28th. Table 1 gives particulars of the death rate for 1901 to 1909, inclusive, and data relative to the mortality due to typhoid fever. The high death rate is caused by the excessive infantile mortality, which is so prevalent throughout the whole of Mexico. The climatic condition of Monterrey, with its exceptionally healthy subsoil, ought to make it one of the healthiest of cities, if proper care were taken to enforce sanitary laws. The data regarding typhoid mortality are probably understated, as they were compiled by the writer, in the absence of any official publications, from the actual death certificates, but no special care is taken by the authorities to insure accuracy in such certificates. Attention is called to the typhoid rate in May, June, July, and August, 1909; this high rate coincides with a scarcity of rainfall and the greatest period of drought experienced in 30 years, and immediately precedes the great flood of August 27th. It was probably due to the lowering of the ground-water throughout the city and the consequent contamination of the private wells, which were largely in use during that time. Throughout the city the wells are sunk to a depth of about 12 or 15 m., in order to reach the subterranean waters, and the cesspools are often in dangerous proximity to them and at a much higher level. The nature of the subsoil, which is often much fissured and open in the conglomerate and sillar strata, would make the passage of contamination an easy matter, and this alone would account for a high mortality due to water-borne diseases. RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE.