IMPROVED SANITATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 February 1908, Page 8

IMPROVED SANITATION.

THE FINANCIAL ASPECT (BT TELEGKArn—SPECIAI, CQRKESPON'DENT.) ' . Auckland, February 26. . ■ Addressing thc-.Forestcrs last even-' ing on 'the financial aspect, from- friendly societies'- point of view,' of the introduction of . a 'drainage,;system and improved, sanitation, .the' Eiistricfc iHealtli '.Officer.\i)r; Piirdy) disclosed a very' seribiis 'position' with ' refer-, eiico to" the outbreak- of, typlioi'd, fever, v Ho 'stited that during the.'.tiireQ - jnonths from December. 1, 1907, to,-Febr : cases of enteric fever had been, reported. , Ho was able to show -from figures completed.by. Dr.. Pabst that tlio cost-.per 'h'ead; of; each case of typhoid to' the .community >y.as- £IQO, and £15,300. was th'o cost of enteric. c,ases-passing through Auckland Hospital . in Vouo. ycar alone.- Tho "89 cases .reported.:in ' three months worked out on tliat basis : at ,£8900. ; This - was apart' from / the added loss of the five deaths, and Sir J.'/G. J .-Ward 'estimated the value to the State of each working unit at' £400. Dr. Pabst had.'statc'd : - .that in' one season' (1896) 153 cases, of: typhoid passed through:bis. hands, at. thevAuckland ; Hospital. He considered.that -each case.;iiu. nursing and medical 'attendance cost •'£7s, and; witli -an average loss of : wages of ? £1 a week, tho cost, of 1 eacH case ''would lie'' £100. ■ 'Thiis'-it: wqrked oiit at. £l6:i3(j0 ''for tlio qhterio cases'•passmg through--;the.'-hospital -in 'one . year./, ; This sum, : capitalised,' . would represent a : sum ;of ''£300,000, • 'but as tho hospital cases represented. b»t a part of t-h'o whole, probably tlie ; cost"'of' enteric 1 already represented -tor-; Auckland* and suburbs the whole of'the amount of the. main, sewerage. schemo of. Mr ; . Midgle'y., Taylor.;