DIPHTHERIA AT HORORATA.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1807, 5 December 1879, Page 4

DIPHTHERIA AT HORORATA.

The following report to the chairman of the Rakaia Road Board has been handed to us for publication : Ohriatchurch, November 28fch, 1879. Sir, —I hive the honor ;to report for your information at the request of Mr Baker, surveyor to your Board, in whoso district there has been recently an outbreak of diphtheria. I was informed that tho disease- first made its appearance in tho early.'part of Soptembar; that the last ca3o reported occurred as lately na the 24th inst. : that it has attacked in all twelve families, tho number attacked being forty-two, and the mortality therefrom seven: that the school wa3 shut up on the_ 20ih September in consequence of diphtheria : was re-re-opened on the let of November ; that sixteen children attended the school for tho week ending Novoinbos tho 8:h, of whom five were taken ill with the disease, and that the school was again shut up, and has not since been used except for Divine service. Thoro 13 considerable difficulty in tracing the diaeaao to its origin, as thoro ia conflicting evidence as to winch was tho first case affected, this much however, I was able to ■ascertain by personal inspection. There is a slaughter yard in tho neighbourhood in a most filthy condition, with a pigstye in it; offal lying all over it in all stages of decay, and tho slaughter house surround, d by a trench full of decomposing blood and -water. Of twelve families attacked, seven resided within half a mile of tho slaughter yard, and the eighth family had diphtheria conveyed to it by one of tho member?, who ■was work'ng at a house close to tho yard. All the cases occurred within a radius of three miles.

There i 3 no dispute that the first case attended tho school, and from this the disease spread. As far as I can ascertain, in all oases attacked there was communication either with those affected with the disc uso or with those ■who, although healthy, come from infected houses.

In country districts isolated outbreaks of diphtheria are frequently traceable to cesspool effluvia, impure water, or defective sewerage, and in this epidemic I hnvo little doubt that the vitiated state of the air arising from tho foul condition of the slaughter yard, if not the original cause of the disease, rendered those in tho vicinity more susceptible of its influence. Neither at tho school nor at any of the houses I inspected was I able to find out that tha water had beon in any way contaminated, and all tho water I saw seemed very fair. Tho disease has evidently infected the school house, and I would strongly recommend that nil books, maps, &c, be destroyed, and all tho woodwork of tho buildings, outefficas and furniture, bo well washed with -soap and water, in which there is.a little ohloride of limo; that afterwards the doors and windows bo closed, and sulphur to tho extent of one pound to tho thousand cubic feet of space bo burned in iron pots in different parts of tho room. During this fumigation, and for twenty-four hours afterwards, the doors, windows, &c, should bo kept closed; they may then bo oponed, and iu a few days tho walls should be white limed. Before the school is again uaed tho ventilation must be attended to. This I consider an imperative neeesaity, as ou my visit the air of the room was very stuffy and disagreeable. Tho cesspit, although not smelling badly, should be filled in, as it has not been cleaned out for years, para bei.:g provided in its placo, and the children should not bo allowed to drink from tho tank behind the schoolmaster's house, as there is a good supply of well water only a short distance from the Bohool. Tho ground around the schoolmaster's house should bo cleaned, and the house slops carefully lacked after. The slaughter-yard i 3 a public nuioanco which requires immediate attention. It should be*coverad over with a few inches of fresh burnt lime, and afterwards have a good coating of dry earth. The resident a in tho district rnust not allow people from infected houses, although not themselves actually suffering from the diaease, to visit them ; they must pay particular attention to cleanliness in themselves, their houses . and premises. The houses must be well ventilated, and after diphtheria has terminated, they must bo properly disinfected, aa well as all the clothes and furniture. Unless these directions are faithfully carried out there is no knowing whoa tho district will be free from the scourge. These infectious diseases are more especially fatal in.badly ventilated houses, and in some of the houses I visited tho air wa3 fever laden to an alarming extent. No country air, however goad in itself, will prevent the spread of diphtheria, unless the inhabitants attend to the common lawa of health. As the ground i 3 very porous, care should be given to having tha water supply and cesspits as far as possible removed from each other, and all house roi'uaa should ba buried. I would recommend that tha cesspits in the-district be filled in, and pans with earth supply used in their place. " Wherever there ia accumulation, stink or soakago of house refuse, or of othor decaying animal or vegetable matter, the nuisance should be promptly abated. Tho stato of the cesspits and middens should be carefully soon to. In slaughter houses nud in other places where beasts are kept, strict cleanliness should be enforced. Sources of water supply should be carefully and efficiently examined, and those of them which are in any way tainted by animal or vegetable refuse, ought no longer to bo drunk from."

The above extracts aro taken from Mr John Sirocna' memorandum for proceedings which should be carried out when a place is attacked or visited by epidemic disease. 'I will have printed to-day, end forwarded to you along with this report, 100 copies of "Suggestions by Ilia Society of Medical Officers of Health for preventing tho spread of contagions diseases," and I would advise you having them circulated in the district. I have tho honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Cor/BTSEY NeIiWILTj, M.D.