Typhoid fever is one disease which, taken the country over, is more prevalent according to population in rural than in urban localities. The data collected by the United States census show a remarkable preponderance of this disease in rural districts. In a circular issued by the Public Health Service January, 1916, attention is called to the fact that during the past year 16,369 rural homes in 8 different states were inspected by the officials of the Service. A previous survey, made in 1914, had shown that in rural communities less than 1 percent of the homes had sanitary toilets and more than 50 percent of the people were using water from contaminated sources. The typhoid fever rate, which is an excellent index of sanitary conditions, was therefore remarkably high in these regions.

The officials of the Public Health Service feel encouraged in the belief that as a result of the campaign of education which they have undertaken among rural communities the morbidity rate of typhoid fever, as well as the mortality rate, has already been considerably reduced. A similar service has been rendered to the State of Indiana by the Board of Health of that state, under the direction of Dr. John N. Hurty. Over 5,000 farmers' homes have been inspected in that state, and a campaign has been vigorously prosecuted in that state to remedy the startling insanitary conditions which have been found. It is evident that by cleaning up the water supplies of country homes and installing modern sanitary toilet systems the typhoid death rate of rural districts will be reduced even to a lower figure than that which prevails in the cities.