BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1209, 18 January 1878, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

The Local Board of Health met at the termination of the Drainage Board meeting ; Mr Boss in the chair. All the members were present with the exception of Messrs Hull and Wright. inspector’s report.

The inspector reported as Billows 1. I beg to report that I hare, in accordance with the authority of the Board, laid an informat.ou against Sir Boole in respect of a nuisance existing on premises of JVlv Mundy, Colombo street, his tenant : also a second in* formation against Mr W. Wilson tor not complying with an order of the Resident Magistrate s Court to abate the nuisance on his land, Barbour street.

2. I have ascertained the owner of the land known ns Lyttelton street to have been Mr J. Bailey, deceased, who died without making a will i presume the notice to abate the nuisance on this land should he served on his eldest son. I have prepared a notice accordingly, but have not yet been able to serve it. 3. On receipt of the letter from the Sydenham Borouvh Council, complaining of nuisance from Mr King’s soap and candle factory, I referred complainants to clause 78 of the Act, under which clause complaint has been made. 1 desire authority for taking proceedings under same clause. 4. For the information of the medical ofllcer, I have been engaged making inquiries con corning certain unreported cases of infections disease.

5. I have inspected the premises complained of by Mr Martin, Sand ridge, and And the ease to be one that should be reitled between the owners of the hind mid the persons who have purchased sections upon it. Questions of this kind will continually arise until the unformed sti*eets are formed and dedicated to the proper author ties. The locality in question is within the Borough of Sydenham. William: Pearce, Chief Inspector of Nuisances. Clause No. 1 was considered satisfactory, and clause No. 2 was referred to the solicitor. On clause 3 being read, the inspector was instructed to lay an informat ion against Mr King, to bo heard before the Resident Magistrate. Clause 4 was approved. On clause 5 being considered, it was resolved that Mr Martin be written to, saying the inspector does not report a nuisance injurious to health while the water is running ; and referring Mr Martin to the Sydenham Borough Council, who have power to deal with private streets. .MEDICAL OFFICER’S REPORT.

The medical officer reported as follows ; 1 am glad to be able to inform you that since the date of my last report (September Ist, 1877) the health of the district lias continued to be very satisfactory, only fourteen cases of contagious disease having been reported, viz., scarlatina, seven ; typhoid, live: diptheria, two. The cases of scarlet fever have been of the mild typo, which has characterised the epidemic throughout. There has been less typhoid fever than usual during the last two or three months of the year. On enquiry at the Hospital I find that there are at present (January Ist) hut two cases in the wards —a very small number for the time of the year. I fear, however, that the public arc somewhat remiss in reporting cases, as the two cases in question, as also another ease which recently died in the Hospital of typhoid were not reported to the Board, although the illness in each case originated within the district. It should be understood that householders do not get rid of the responsibility in reporting cases of contagious disease by sending them into the Hospital, for the object of giving information of the existence of such disease is in part to insure investigation of the circumstances under which the illness {arose : an {investigation especially necessary in typhoid fever, which frequently owes its origin to local causes. The vital statistics of the borough show a low mortality, the average for the three months— September, October, and November—being 1 24 p. r 1000. 'J hose for December are not to hand. The average for the previous seven months wa < T 44. The mortality is rising slightly, and will continue to rise for the next three or four months, the autumn being the most sickly season in Christchurch, chiefly from the prevalence of typoid fever and infantile diarrhoea. The district is suffering from an epidemic of whooping cough, which will doubtless cause a few deaths amo 'gst very young children. I wish to call the attention of the Board to the advisablencss of erecting a disinfecting oven where bedding and clothing might ho submilted to the action of dry heat, the only reliable disinfectant for such articles, as now that the intercourse with other countries is becoming so free the risk of importing dangerous infectious diseases is daily becoming greater. Such a public disinfecting oven might perhaps most suitably be constructed in connection with the hospital I intended to bring under the notice of the Board the urgent necessity of an increased water s supply. lam glad, however, to see that my intention has been forestalled, and that the attention of the public is promine tly direct d to this important question for drinking. No water could he more wholesome and free from possible contamination than our artesian supply ; this purity can, however only be insured by a free overflow. Directly the level of the water sinks below the level of the ground, and pumps and cisterns become necessary, elements of suspicion are introduced. Owing to the large demand on the artesian supply for general sanitary purposes the level of the water is sinking year by year. In the higher parts of the town there is no longer an overflow, and there are no means available for flushing house drains and side channels ; and as the number of we Is increase the supply will become more and more inadequate. The artesian water should he economised and used for household purposes, while there should be an independent supply for general sanitary and fire preventive purposes. “ 1 am, &c., “Llewellyn Fowfll , M.D., “ Medical Officer.”

After consideration, it was decided to forward a copy of the clause to the Government referring to the necessity for the erection of a disinfecting oven. It was resolved that the chairman be requested to write to the Government, requesting that all cases of an infectious nature received into the Hospital should be reported to the Board by the officers of that institution. The Medical Officer was also instructed to obtain full particulars of the unreported cases mentioned in his report, to allow of action being taken. COEEESPONDENCE. A letter was read from the Sanitary Committee of the City Council, asking the Board to name a time when a sub-committee of the Local Board of Health would meet the Sanitary Committee, to consider questions affecting the sanitary regulations of the city. In the remarks which followed, Mr Harman hoped that the reeulte arrived at by the com-

mittees would be more favourably received by the Council than on the last occasion when the joint-committees met to discuss the question of new night pans. On the motion of Mr Hobbs, the chairman, Mr Harman, and the mover, were appointed to meet the Sanitary Committee, to confer generally on sanitary matters. A letter was read from Mr C. Klingenstein, complaining of a nuisance caused by Mr Coombe’s hides in stables adjoining his premises. The inspector was instructed to visit the stables referred to occi sionally. A letter was read from the Sydenham Borough Council, directing attention to the very great nuisance arising from Mr J. King s soap and candle works, fronting on Selwyn street. A petition signed by a number of inhabitants was read on the same subject. The complaint had been attended to in the inspector’s report. A letter was read from Mr Thomas Martin, Sandridge, saying that the nuisance of stagnant water in front of his house still continued. Tin's was caused by aMr Cain allowing water from his well to overflow and remain there. The inspector had referred to this complaint in his report, and had been instructed in the matter. TTI’JIOID FEVER. The Secretary informed the Board that a case of typhoid fever had been reported in the Ferry road. HOUSE INSPECTION. Mr Harman would like to know whether the Board would not consider it advisable that a house to house inspection should commence as soon as possible. This was the time of year when such an inspection was most desirable. It was decided, after remarks, that the Inspector should consider house to house inspection his first duty, and that he should continue at this work on every available occasion, commencing immediately. The Board then adjourned.