THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 157, 28 March 1919, Page 10

THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSION

POWERS OF HEALTH OFFICERS . AND INSPECTORS. By Jeleer.i"'"- Association . Christchurch, March 27. Giving evidence before the Epidemic Commission to-day W. S. Wharton, secretary of the North Canterbury. Hospital and Charitable Akt Board, said after tin? block system was adopted by the medical men there was very little trouble. Everything worked smuothly, except ill instances where a doctor became ill. Regarding the work of the health inspectors of the Hospital Board, he had always held that they should lie directly under the control.nf the district health officer. .The Ilealtii Department should take complete control. The relations between Mil Hospital Board and the Health Department' were most amicable, and (hero was no overlapping. There were at present insufficient inspectors to do (lie work; eight, or ten were rociitiretl.

L. A. SlringeK Town Clerk, Lyttelton,. said that, in hits opinion Ihe disease had been brought to J.yttellou by (he steamer Waihora, which arrived prior to November 13 with inlluenza on board, and the crew was not isolated. Or •!"> on board only seven escaped ' lie. malady, and there had been several deaths. He considered thn.t power shouM be given the district health offieor to insist on tno local bodies framing 1.-y-laws to cope wit!: infectious diseases. Alfred C. Maxwell, headmaster of Hie Bcc.kenham School, who had acted as assistant to. Dr. Chesson during the enidemic, deposed as to the success of the block system, and f-'aid that i" the event of a recrudescence there should be some controlling authority, picferably the district health officer. Mark Kershaw, chief health inspector, expressed the opinion that more power and responsibility should be given to health inspectors. Experienced men were not permitted to put their ideas into practice, and their instructions to householders were ofteu orer-ridden by the health officer. Dr. Chesson. recalled. ?« ; :! he had no recollection of informing the Mayor on November. G that there was no causo for alarm. L. Hardie, chief sanitary inspector to the city council, demonstrated an apparatus for the artificial ventilaliVi of public buildings, and showed how picture theatres, etc., could receive a continuous current of fresh air, The Commission Adjourned till tomorrow.