The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, SEPT 3, 1892.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 33, 3 September 1892, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, SEPT 3, 1892.

The Cholera Scare -*- The past experience in Europe of the fearful ravages of cholera, resulting from want of attention to the most I ordinary sanitary details, does not I appear to have had the slightest effect ; in warning people of the risks they ! run by persisting in their uncleanuess. It will be seen by the telegrams published to-day that the Hospitals iv Hamburg are in a frightful condition, and that as the available medical assistauce la inadequate to cope with the alarming increase in the number of cases, therefore patients unknown are brought in only to die, while their deaths, are unrecorded. Od Wednesday last six hundred bodies were in the Hospitals awaiting burial. Two hundred of these dead were lying mingled with the living. In Havre the disease continues unabated in virulence, and railway traffic has been suspended. In London it is feared that the epidemic may spread owing to the water supply. It is needless for us to give further details. Those of our readers who remember the old cholera days in England, may be able to realise the situation ; but others who have never seen the awful horror which prevails among the people suffering from this visitation, can only form the feeblest conception of its surroundings. We mentioned in our last issue that the Central Board of Health had met in Wellington to j consider what steps should be taken in New Zealand in consequence of i the outbreak of cholera in Europe. They of course did very little, and confined themselves to passing a resolution to warn local boards throughout the colony to attend to the sanitary condition of their several districts, and to advise that householders should be impressed with the knowledge that the best way to prevent the spread of cholera is to keep clean back yards and well flushed drains. Very prudent and wise no doubt. But surely something more than this is wanted ? People should be com polled to do those things. If they are left to the discretion of individuals whether they are attended to. or neglected, one person may have his premises clean and wholesome, while his neighbour is cultivating cholera microbes in seething masses. There should be no half measures. The officials of the Board of Health, under whatever title they are known, should have absolute power to carry out the sanitary regulations. Now is the appointed time. It is absurd to wait until the disease has spread to our shores before commencing the work of cleansing away accumulated filth.