64 filters with disposal of the effluent on a sewage farm. The contracts for the work are at present being placed.

Mansourah.—For this town also a drainage scheme has been approved and the necessary credits granted. The scheme is similar to that of Suez. The contracts for the work are being put up to tender at present.

Drainage Law.—K drainage law has been drafted by representatives of the Public Health Administration and of the Ministry of Public Works. This law makes house connection compulsory in all towns possessing a public drainage system. The law is ready for promulgation, but has been purposely held up owing to the fact that the Ministry of Public Works I’eDorts that there is such a shortage of the necessary materials in the country at present that it could not be enforced.

(3.) Vital Statistics and Infant Mortality. In the report for last year the occurrence of an excess of deaths over births was recorded—a very unusual “Late of affairs in Egypt. A glance at the vital statistics for 1919 shows something of a reversion to more normal conditions, though not uniformly so throughout the whole country. For example, both in Cairo and Alexandria the deaths exceeded the births during the past year. In Cairo there were 30,794 births fa rate of 40*4 per 1,000) and 32,161 deaths (a rate of 42-2 per 1,000). In Alexandria there were 15,684 births (a rate of 35-0 per 1,000) and 18,198 deaths (a rate of 40-4 per 1,000).

Practically all the other large centres of population showed an excess of births over deaths—in some cases very small—so that the figures for the twenty principal towns {i.e., fourteen Moudiria towns and five Governorate towns, with tlie addition of Ismailia) show a mean birth-rate of 40*5 per 1,000 and a mean death-rate of 39-9 per 1,000.

The general rates for the whole country are: Birth-rate, 38*0 per 1,000; deathrate, 30-0 per 1,000.

During the year considerable evidence was collected showing that the formidable increase in the prices of practically every article of food was having a very deleterious effect on the health of the population, especially the lower classes, as it was proved that the revenue of many families was ciuite insufficient for the purchase of an adequate supply of even the simplest articles of food. These facts were brought to the notice of the authorities; energetic measures were taken, especially as regards the sale of flour at reasonable prices, and a great improvement in the food conditions of a large section of the population was brought about.

A brief table is annexed giving the salient figures regarding vital statistics and infant mortality in 1919 :— Vital Statistics : Whole Country.

Population, calculated on July 1, 1919 ... Total births— Egyptians Foreigners Birth-rate, per 1,000 ... Total deaths— Egyptians Foreigners Death-rate, per 1,000...

... 12,878,000 ... 491,222 ... 2.266 ... 381,421 2,4d8 493,488 38 383,869 30 Infant Mortality.—These figures refer only to the following towns: Cairo, Alexandria, Ismailia, Port Said, Damietta, Suez, Benha, Damanhour, Mansura, Shibin-el-ICom, Tanta, Zagazig, Assiout, Assouan, Beni-Souef, Fayum, Giza, Minia, Kena, Sohag.

Percentage of children born who died before attaining one year of age, 22*4.

(4.) Infectious*Diseases. With regard to epidemic disease in 1919, the chief features to be noted are 1. The large incidence of smallpox. 2. A notable decrease in the incidence of typhus and relapsing fever cases as compared with 1916, 1917 and 1918.

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