PUBLIC HEALTH

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2059, 20 April 1907, Page 2

PUBLIC HEALTH

SOME COUNTY MATTERS

Several lettors from the District Honitli Officer were read at the meeting of tlio County Council yesterday " mi i LDINGS A building situated on the Matawliero road outside tlio Borough boundary at present unoccupied was condemned, and it was advised that the owner bo compelled to pull it down, the timber to ho burnt oil tlio ground.—The Chairman said he thought the best course should be to notify the owner first of all lie would have followed the course adopted if he bad been written to. A shop and dwelling at Ormond, which was “falling to pieces with dry -ot and quite unfit for habitation,” was eondemnned, itnd the Council was advised to call upon the owner to pull it down within n month. —In reply to the Chairman the Clerk said no mention was made of burning the

material. A building at ■ Ormond, in which the front was partially attacked by dry-rot and the whole of the back premises entirely affected by it, "as condemned, and the householder "as called upon to pull down the back promises and renew the rotten timber in the front within 21 days.—The power of the Health Officer was questioned in making these recommendations. —It was suggested that the D.H.O. should pass an opinion about the County .office.—The Chairman said all these notices seined wrong procedure. In somo cases the time within which the work should be done, was ‘ passed.—Ci\ Harding said the work had to be done within a month from the Council’s notice. —The Chairman said ono letter of the D.H.O. was dated March 26th, and demanded that the work be done within a month from then. A building in Ormond was declared unfit for habitation and the D.H.O. expressed the opinion that the owner should be called upon to pull it down within a month. —The Clerk asked for somo direction ns to how he should proceed in these cases. —lt was decided to give notice that the works recoinemnded be done within a month. OTHER MATTERS.

Attention was called to a privy on the' Government reserve at Ormond. The erection was old and dilapidated, was placed on level ground, bad no nan, and no provision was made for the removal of excrement.—The Clerk reported that the matter had been satisfactorily settled. The Health Officer found, on visiting the house of a gentleman in Ormond in whose residence there was a caso of scarlatina, that he was supplying milk to a dairy factory. When the danger was pointed out be agreed to abstain until the case had been concluded and the house had been fumigated. “It is highly important,” said the Health Officer, “in the

prevention of the spread of infectious

disease, that the practice of supplying milk from infected houses should be prohibited, and prevented. I therefore recommend that in all cases where infectious disease is notified in the house of a milkman, you, as the local authority, should notify the householder that ho is prohibited from supplying milk during the course of the complaint, and the dairy factory should be warned against receiving milk from him. ”7 —

- Received. The Health Officer reported on the water-tables opposite the school at Matawdie.ro. At present the water lay in parts and became stagnant and foul, but by cleaning out the watertable the water could be made to How t off. He called upon the Council to 3 do this work. —This work has been ! done by the Engineer. ~ Dr. Del,isle staled he had called on Mr. Maynard and found that his 1 pig-styes were being constructed n I accordance wth his recommendations. It Was proposed to carry the drain- , ago into the river, but ho could not allow that, and had.demanded that 3 it ho disposed of on the land by means of trenching.—The Clerk res ported that the Sanitary Inspector had the matter in hand. SANITARY ENGINEER’S REPORT i The County sanitary engineer reported : I proceeded to Ormond to investigate a ease of scarlet fever re- ’ ported from there. On inspecting tho premises I found the w.c. in li most insanitary state, and had been in use for at least twelve years (probably more) without being cleaned out. f have had the nuisance abated. ' A case of diphtheria was reported from Makauri, and on visiting the premises I found the patient had ’ been taken to the These premises so far as I could see were in a sanitary state. T accompanied Dr. DeLislo to Whatatntu on his tour 1 of inspection and found my instruc- ’ tions re sanitary precautions had been carried out to my entire satis- ’ faction. I visited Makaraka to investigate a diphtheria case reported from there and found that the patient had been brought from Ormond sick, and taken into Gisborne to Dr. 1 Scott for treatment and then returned to Makaraka Hotel, where the mother of tho child had taken i <j,.o , L.njV_visit J_fouiul _tlie would suggest that the medical men should take precautionary measures to isolate the patients in such cases, and not allow them out until a certificate has been given and the disinfection has been attended to. A case of malignant diphtheria was reported from Ormond and the patient has f since died. I visited the premises j from information received from Dr. j Cole. The hoy may have contracted ! the disease while on a visit with the , cadets to Christchurch. I found on j the premises a piggery in a most iuJ sanitary state 'which may have been | the cause of the trouble. I have bad 1 the erection burnt and the site dis- , infected. Fumigated C. Gordon’s , premises at Ormond. Fumigated A. IN. Newman’s premises at Ormond. . seven rooms in all, taking tho whole ( day. It is for your Council to consider whether the occupants in this case should not pay the expenses. | Fumigated Wilson’s house at Ngakaroa. Accompanied the District Health Officer around Ormond, AYae-reuga-a-hika, arid Matawhero to Taruheru on sanitary business.-Fumi-gated Bidgood’s dwelling and disinfected premises. I have visited Bourke and Company’s premises, and have had the District Health Officer’s , instructions carried out in a satisfactory manner. ~ Tho Council decided that where possible cost of fumigation should be , recovered from occupants of tlie 3 buildings dealt with. - 1

THE HOSPITAL.

Tho monthly meeting of tlio Hos pital Trustees was held last night. Present: Tho Hon. Captain Xuclcer (in the chair), and Messrs. Matthews,

Harding, McDonald and Ken way. The Treasurer’s report was as follows: —Receipts—Patients’ fees £4 3s Bd, sale of surgical appliances £l, refund wages Bs, rent £4 11s, donation S. Patrick’s Sports £l2 Os; expenditure—Accounts for month £BB 2s 2d, Potter and Dirks £29 5s 3d, salaries £O4 19s sd, bank charge for account ss, interest on overdraft £0 Is, credit balance £B9 14s Id; current accounts, £149 11s 9d. A civil engineer, res it lei ft in 'Weilington, forwarded a schedule of his qualifications and asked that his name be considered when any sanitary arrangements wore to be car-

ried out. A gentleman who had recently left the Hospital wrote stating that as there had been a lot of complaints about tho Hospital he would like to say that ho had had the best of treatment and attention and that the food supplied was of the best. The Secretary reported that the number of patients in tbc Hospital at the beginning of the month was 27; 23 were admitted during the month, 27 had left and three had died, leaving 30 in the institution at date. The Chairman reported for the visiting committee that the rain came in time to stop them having to cart

water. There was menace of an out break of scarlet fever, and to sto]

them coining into the Hospital, he had provided tents for them; but the doctors had decided to treat all the eases at home. In pursuance of a resolution as to a cottage for the night nurses, a committee consisting of the speaker and Messrs .Matthews and Harding, obtained a. plan and

specification, but as the price was considered too large the plan was returned so that it could be modified to bring it within the amount of money available.

Mr. Kenway asked if people suffering from alcoholism were fit subjects to bo admitted to the Hospital. .Dr. Morrison said that the by-laws allowed such cases to be refused admission, but it was an ailment which might easily cause death, and there would bo a great scandal if such a person were refused admission and died soon afterwards.

The Chairman and Messrs. Lysnar and Matthews were chosen visiting committee for the month, A large number of enquiries regarding the post of medical superintendent were received. Dr. Morrison said he thought that the time had come for an increase in the nursing staff. The Chairman said the Matron was making the best arrangements possible. Dr. Morrison said that since the Trustees had to provide for infectious diseases tliore should ho at least two extra nurses.

Tho following estimate for the en-. suing year were submitted (the actual figures for tiie past year being, in parentheses) : Receipts £250 (£290 Gs Id), Government subsidy £3OO (£34G lGs, Id), fees £4OO (£455 10s 6d), interest £24 (£24), rent £25 14s (£24), refunds (£7 2s 6d), total £998 (£1149 9s 2d); requisition on District Board £2250 (£1500); to the total receipts has to he added a sum of £3 15s lid for Government subs'dy due and £l7 4s id cash in hand, making the total estimated revenue £lOl9 and this sum added to the requisition from the District Board gives a grand total of funds available of £3269. The expenditure is estimated-as follows: —Salaries £I4OO (£IO4S 6s Id), rations £450 (£426 19s lOd), repairs and improvements £250 (£lßl 3s sd), building £2OO (£94 18s 6d), surgery and dispensary £250 (£287 3s Id), bedding and clothing £IOO (£lO9 8s 8d), furniture and ware £l5O (£177 6s 4d). fuel £IOO (£53 12s Od), lighting £l3O (£l2B 15s Id), wines and spirits £ls (£l3 18s 6d), sanitation £3O (£25 ss), printing and advertising £ls (£ls 0s Id), postage and stationery £lO (£8 8s lid), rates £5 (3 5s 9d), miscellaneous £2O (£l7 17s), insurance £45 (£35 17s Id), total £3120, liabilities 'March 31st, 1907, £99, grand total. £3269. These estimates were adopted.