DIPHTHERIA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1613, 19 July 1887, Page 3

DIPHTHERIA.

TO THE EDITOR. Fie,— l Bee by the "Lyttelton Times," of the 13th and 15th met, that m view of a poßßible outbreak of diphtheria m Aahburton, that a Board cf Health is about to be formed m that towrj. I would suggest that a competent person be appointed by the Board as Sanitary Inspector, whose duties should not be confined to the town o ly, but also to the outlying oountry districts. It is a wellknown fact that diphtheria frequently ocQurs at some badly-drsined and illappointed country house, whence by contagion through public schools and other channels, the desease rapidly spreads, I quote an eminent specialist on this dissaie— -"Now ail my carefully conducted enquiries induce me to believe that the disewe (diphtheria) comes from drain poison. All the cases Into whfoh I could fully enquire have brought conviction to my mind, that there 1b a direct law of sequence m some peculiar conditions of atmosphere between diphtheria and bad drainage." (DrCarr, " Medical Journal." Another eminent medical man writes, "Bad and imperfect drainage, want of ventilation, overflowing oloaets, low neighborhoods In the vicinity of rivers, stagnant water, Indeed everything that vitiates the air and thus depresses tha system, more eßpeolally if the weather be close and muggy, last, though not least, contagion, are the caused of diphtheria." (Dr Chevaaae.) When speaking to a medical man on this subject on one occasion, he Informed me that he had frequently traced the origin of the disease to some outlying house, where refuse water of every discriptlon had been thrown out close to the door, and as is usual m such ill-appointed households, other necessary portioas of the establishment had been left In a filthy state. Under favorable «tmo3pherio conditions nothing very serious may result for some time, then comes a very hot Bummer, followed by a wet and sultry autumn. The germs of disease take root lv such congenial soil, and typhoid or diphtheria 1b the result. And for the fault of one, many homes are robbed of their dearest and beet. We take the most stringent precautions, when contagious diseases occur, among our cheep or cattle. Is the human subject of less consideration, I ask, than our flocks and herds ? If people themselves will not take proper precautions, a Board of Health should compel them to do so by appointing a sanitary inspector as i England, whose duty it is to make a return of his investigations to the Board, The Board would be made aware of improper drainage, etc., endangering the public health. Measures to remedy such should be at once taken. Whether fresh legislation be necessary would be a matter for the Board of Health to determine ; the object of this Utter being to indicate the manner m which such a fatal and insidious disease may be dealt with. In the name of many mothers besides myself, I pray this letter may meet with due consideration. 1 am, etc., B. B. S.