PREVENTION OF DISEASE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 235, 28 June 1919, Page 8

PREVENTION OF DISEASE

AN. 'INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

~ At Thursday's meeting of tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board ■Mrs. Aitken, speaking to her motion Lliat a provious miiruto ot the board (of l-'eb--1918), abandoning the Public Health Committee, should be rescinded, ,said that there was in ore need of tho committee now than ever there was, aiid ; she thought that the committee should work']n.w'itil the-City Council. Sho lived neKij.to'stablos, and they wero a perfect J'S'm SJ ,at 'of thing was left, to the City Council. In her opinion they . Mould lave something to do with anything that interfered ivitli tho health'of Such matters should be seen Hospital authorities. ■ rho motion was secouded by Mrs. Beck who said that thousands of pounds were spent annually on. the cure and" tackling of disease, but very little on its preven. tion. A very groat deal could bo done by. such a committee if a sum of money ■were- placed at its disposal. She referred to the shocking state of the ladies' waiting-room in Conrtenay Place It something wei'o done in this matter at would be tho means of saving a considerable sum of money to tho Hospital Board.

J. Thompson said that the committee had been dispersed because nothing ever cam© before it. The chairman said that tho sanitary control was vested in tho City Council 11 the committco had inoro power and money he would agree to tho proposal. 3lr - J- W- M'Ewan said that tile fact was that the committee had no powers; There was something to do in this matter 10 was sure if they had tho powefe, 'and ho Telicarsed exactly what was done in a case of infectious disease. If they looked at tho latest return they would find that 50 eases of diphthoria, hail been leported iu the Wellington hospital district, '12 cases of which were from Wellington city. Probablv if one went through the returns of the year oiie would find that there had-bock 300 and 400 cases of diphtheria during the year. No one thought anything -about it; vet, ,-is far as medical knowledge wont, 'tin' danger fo life from diphtheria was ever so much greater than from influenza, of which they heard «> much. The prevalenco of this disease went on day by day and month by month;, and no one cared anything about it.

Sir. C. HI. Luko said ho had been, a member of tho committee for nine years, and the business of the meetings usually occupied about ten minutes. If tho Act could be amended in the direction of Riving tho committee enlarged powers lie would favour setting it up. Tlio won negatived.