BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1885, 9 March 1880, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

The Board of Health held its usual fortnightly meeting yesterday afternoon. Present —Messrs Harman (chairman), Rose, H, J. Hall, Duncan, Tanored, and Hobbs. The medical officer’s report was read as follows:

Christchurch, March 6, 1880. Sir, —On January the 24th, in my quarterly report to the Board of Health, I said —“ It will be necessary for the Board to instruct its inspector to see that no rotten leaky pans are being need in the closets of the district, 1 ' and on the 19th of February, in another report, I pointed out such grave defects in the sanitary state of Christchurch that the Board appointed an additional inspector. It is in consequence of the filthy condition of Christchurch, as revealed by this additional inspection, that I now consider it my duty to address you at once without waiting until the house to house inspection of the city is completed. Up to this morning no less than thirty-three cesspits and sixteen leaky pans, which are no better than cesspits, have been discovered within the city by the inspectors. It must be remembered that these cesspits are simple holes dug in the ground into which, when nearly empty, the surrounding soil drains in wet weather, thus rendering them oSensive cesspools, and when full they permit ef soakage into the adjoining land. Some of them are abominably foul, and have not been cleaned for many years. The defective pans referred to have in many instances allowed the ground to be thoroughly saturated and filthy beyond description. This inspection, which has up to the present time included only small portions of the city, shows that the cesspits are distributed all over Christchurch. They are to be found not only at the houses of the poor but at those of the rich ; they are situated not altogether on the outskirts of the town, but in snch prominent places as Latimer square, at the junction of Montreal street and Worcester street, in Cambridge terrace, near Manchester street, between Tuam street and Lichfield street, near High street, and in Colombo street, near St. Asaph street. All sorts of appliances are being used for pans—oil cans, nail kegs, and gin cases, are of common occurrence.

When metal is selected, only galvanised iron should be allowed.

As cesspits are supposed to have been abolished in Christchurch, it is scarcely necessary for me to point out that they are quite unsnited for populous places—they are dangerous nuisances which ought not to be permitted. Any pan system should cause the decline of filth diseases, such aa typhoid fever, but it is quite evident that many of the pans in use are so deficient that the system is rendered a sham. I find on looking up ray notes taken at the time of my inspection of houses from which oases of typhoid fever have been reported, that in a very large majority of the cases either leaky pans or cesspits are in use. last month 104 deaths were registered in the district. Typhoid fever and dysentery have been very prevalent, and that they have been so is not surprising when the air is receiving during this hot weather exhalations from such foul fever beds as exist in Christchurch.

There have been complaints of the Armagh street sower, and I would remind the Board that sewers, unless properly constructed, perfectly ventilated, and well flushed, are likely to become serious nuisances.

By adopting elevated side ventilators the nuisance might be remedied, hut I think it will be prudent for the Board to consider the advisableness of not allowing houses to connect with the sewer until the water supply for flushing can be relied upon. I have the honor to he, Sir, your obedient servant, ConETNKY NbDWILL M.D.. Health Officer. The Chairman Board of Health. The inspector’s report was read as follows—1, I beg to report that I have served a notice on Mr Sheppard, of Stanmore road, Bingsland, to abate a nuisance arising from keeping pigs. As Mr Sheppard keeps the pigs to consume the kitchen refuse brought from the hotels, I am sure they cannot be kept on any part of bis premises without nuisance, and have so intimated to him.

2. I have informed Mr Brightling, the city contractor for scavenging, that complaints continue to he made of a nuisance arising from the filling up with refuse matter a worked out gravel pit at Waltham. He has promised to complete the filling up in about three weeks, and to use a sufficient quantity of earth to prevent a nuisance.

I have inspected the locality indicated by Mr Bowron, for the purpose of erecting a tannery and fellmougery, tod find the land is beyond the Heathcote river boundary of the Drainage District, and in the Heathcote road district; the Heathcote Road Board being the local sanitary authority whose consent must be obtained.

The Board approved the first clause, and in connection with tho second, the secretary read a letcer from John Brightling, stating that he hoped to fill up his gravel pit, which had been complained of as a nuisance, in the course of throe weeks or a month. Ho had declined to fill in a pit that adjoined his own. In the same connection the Chairman read a letter from Mr R. Taylor, complaining of the nuisance caused by the discharge of refuse matter into the gravel pits on the Gasworks road.

It was resolved—“ That Mr Taylor should be written to, and informed that instructions should bo issued to stop the further discharge of refuse.”

The remainder of the report was approved

A letter was read from Messrs Bowron Brothers, requesting the Board’s sanction to their carrying on the business of tanning and curing pelts on a section of land they had purchased at Woolston. The position was surrounded by other fellmongers, and the only two houses near were in the possession of persons in the same trade. It was resolved—“ The writer be informed that the matter was outside tho Board’s jurisdiction.”

The Clerk to the Christchurch Licensing Court wrote informing the Board that the consideration of their letter of February 9th was postponed until the annual meeting in June.

The letter was received. The chairman said he had secured the cooperation of several of the principal medical

men in Christchurch for a system of reporting cases of infectious disease. The infectious diseases reported during the past fortnight were as follows : Scarlet Typhoid. Fever. Diphtheria. Christchursh ... 12 0 0 Sydenham 5 0 0 Avon 3 0 1 Heathcote 2 0 1 Riccarton ... ... 2 0 0 Total ... 24 0 2 Accounts amounting to £56 were passed for payment, and the Board adjourned.