thing provided for that purpose, not only proving entirely insufficient but a perfect nuisance. These gates should be placed at either the upper or lower end of the basin, (as no danger need be apprehended above those points) as in the event of a rupture or break in the embankment below there would be less water to escape, and until there should be such an increase of business as to require a double set of hands, the same that operate the gates below, could manage these also, as they would be but a short distance apart, and should be opened and closed ever time a boat passes. And I would here urge the importance of their immediate construction, as the time is not far distant when repairs must be made about the locks and gates below, which cannot be done without some facility for shutting out the water.

In order to show the danger to which the Canal is constantly exposed, not only from accident-by way of collision of boats with the lock-gates, and otherwise—but from sudden and unexpected rise of water in the river and Canal, I would here state, that on the morning of the 9th of August last, the water in the Canal rose from eleven feet nine inches to fifteen feet, in the short space of about forty-five minutes, and at a time when there was no wind, neither had there been for quite a number of days. These fluctuations are very numerous, but mostly occur or originate from some sudden change of the wind from east to west. Had such a rise occurred soon after the opening of navigation in the spring, and before the banks had become entirely settled and free from frost, the result would have been the destruction of all the artificial or made embankment, at least.

STATEMENT of Receipts from the opening of the Canal, June 18th, 1855, to the closing, or Nov. 30th, 1858:

Total each yr.| $4,374 66| $7,575 78 $9,406 74 $10,848 80

STATEMENT of Freight shipped through the Canal from June 18th, 1855, to Nov. 30th, 1856:

Furs, bundles.

(6 boxes and barrels,

Sundries, packages,

Crockery.

Furniture, 66

Vegetables, barrels,

Hides,

Pelts, bundles,..

Engines and Boilers,

45

260

1,560

17,260

375

442

360

119

275

314

130

150

1,000

956

STATEMENT of Copper and Iron in blooms and bars:

also, Iron Ore:

Copper, tons,..

Iron ore,

1,447

26,184

No. 15.

LEGISLATURE, 1859.

REPORT of the State Medical Society.

To the Honorable, the Legislature of Michigan:

At the annual meeting of the Medical Association of the State of Michigan, the following preamble and resolution were adopted unanimously; and the undersigned, members of the Medical Association, and also members of this Legislature, were appointed a committee to lay them before your honorable body, and to urge the adoption of the course indicated by the resolution.

Respectfully submitted.

FOSTER PRATT, M. D.,
H. S. BUELL, M. D.,
MORGAN ENOS, M. D.,
J. W. PHELPS, M. D.,
JABEZ PERKINS,
S. H. GAGE.

January 28, 1859.

Whereas, The transactions of this Society must contain much information relative to the preservation of health,