The Sanitary Department was said to be decidedly the most popular of the American departments with the Cubans, and it was this very power of assessing and remitting fines that was the principal cause of our popularity. The Cuban had been accustomed to looking upon laws and ordinances as devices for filling the pockets of the officials, and fines as the legitimate perquisites of those officials. When a fine was remitted, he looked upon it as a personal present from the pocket of the chief sanitary officer to himself, and was grateful accordingly. Why the chief sanitary officer should take so great an interest in mosquito larvæ he could not comprehend. But that officer evidently did take a most decided interest in the matter, and had he not demonstrated his friendship by taking five dollars, which was as good as in his pocket, and giving it to him, the offender? His loyalty was appealed to and generally he remained ever afterwards the friend of the Department. Cisterns, barrels and receptacles for containing and storing rain water for drinking and domestic purposes were absolutely necessary in the case of the larger part of the population. It was necessary that we prepare these receptacles so that they could not breed mosquitoes. If it were arranged so that mosquitoes could not lay their eggs on the surface of the water, this object would be accomplished. It was therefore provided that all receptacles should be covered in such a manner that mosquitoes could not have access to them. The tops were covered, a small hole being left in the top by means of which water could enter. This hole was covered with wire netting, and a spigot was placed in the bottom whereby the water could be drawn off. This was done at public expense. At the central office squads of carpenters with material loaded in wagons were always on hand to go out for this work. If the sanitary inspector reported that such work was necessary, it was immediately attended to by one of these squads.