BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1944, 18 May 1880, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

<> The Board of Health met at the conclusion of the Drainage Board meeting yesterday afternoon, thero being present—Mr Harman (chairman), and Messrs Boss, Hall, Brown, Hobbs, and Tancred. The first business before the meeting was the consideration of a letter from the town clerk of Christchurch (uuder instructions from the Mayor), drawing attention to the action of the Board's inspector in giving permission to persons to bury nightsoil in their gardens, and suggesting that the control of the city in sanitary matters should bo left entirely in the hands of the Council. The Chairman said the explanation of the matter was simple. One case of the kind had occurred, and on his (Mr Harman's) ascertaining that it was the desire of the Council that no night soil should be buried, he at once took stops to set the ma* ter right. Mr Harman then explained how it was that the appointment of an additional inspector had been rendered necessary by the defective pan system. As a matter of fact, it had been discovered beyond doubt that the duties of the Board of Health as they were formerly regarded and as they found Jthem to be requisite now, were widely different. They might meet the Council in this matter, but he could not altogether agree with the proposal of the Council until they were placed in the position they desired to occupy by legislative action. After discussion, during which the importance of the question was fully recognised, the Board determined to hold a special meeting to deal with it. Mr Hobbs suggested that a committee should be appointed to meet the sanitary committee of the Council in the meantime, but it was pointed out that they (the committee) could go better prepared after a meeting of the Board to consider the question, and Mr Hobbs adopted this view. It was then resolved to hold a special meeting of the Board on Wednesday, 26th inst., at the usual hour. The medical officer's report was read bb follows: Christchurch, May Ist, ISBO. The Chairman Local Board of Health. Sir, —I have the honor to report on the health of the district for the quarter ending March 31st. In giving the numberß of the householders who reported the existence of infectious diseases, it must not be understood that these numbers represent all those attacked. Two or more in several instances were ill in the same family, and doubtless many cases were not reported. I have availed myself of the permission given by the Registrar-General to search the district Registrar's books, and have found that only one case proved fatal during the quarter from typhoid fever, of which the Board had no knowledge. It will be for the Board to determine whether legal proceedings are to be taken for non-compliance with the Act. the following infections diseases were reported for the three months : Typhoid fever, 07; diphtheria, 13; scarlet fever, 6. The cases have been distributed thus :—Christchurch, typhoid 50, diphtheria 2, scarlet fever 3; Sydenham, typhoid 17, diphtheria 3; Avon, typhoid 12, diphtheria 3; Heathcote, typhoid 11, diphtheria 5, Bcarlet fever 2; Riccarton, typhoid 4, scarlet fever 1. And according to the months :—January, typhoid 15, diphtheria 4, scarlet fever 4; February, typhoid 37, diphtheria 3; March, typhoid 45, diphtheria 6, scarlet fever 2. Tho number reported for the corresponding three months of

1879 was 100, viz. :—Typhoid 78, diphtheria 13, scarlet fever 9. The mortality within the city was per 1000 of the population monthly:— January 2.26, February 3 17, March 1.72 ; and for the corresponding months of 1879 : January 2.46, February 3 17, March 1.31. As Sydenham is now included in a separate return in the vital statistics by the Registrar General, I am enabled to give the morta ity in that borough. It was —January 1.80, February 2.44, March 205 For the last three monthß there has been only one death (and that one in from scarlet fever in the whole of New Zealand, and only three (deaths from diphtheria—two in Auckland and one iu Dunedin. Typhoid fever claims thirteen deaths, and unfortunately seven of them —over one-half —have been in Cbrißtchnrch. I cannot tell how m-my deaths occurred in Christchurch from typhoid fever for the corresponding months of last year, as the vitnl statistics for New Zealand bgan for the first time in April 1879 to specify the towns where tho deaths took place, but in the whole of Now Zealand for this piriod only ten deaths from this cnuse were registered. In the February " Gazatte " for 1878 for the first time the vital statistics set forth in a tabulated form the mortali y from the six principal zymotic diseases, but it was not until April, 1879, that diarrhoea, and dysentery were placed nnder separate headings and returned for town separate y. I wish to draw the attention of the Boiird to the fact that dysentery in an aggravat d and epidemic form is becoming an important and prominent factor in the bills of mortality. In 1877 only five deaths from dysentery were recorded throughout the colony during the months of January, February, and March. In 1878 there were for the same period 3 deaths, in 1879 13, and in 188 U 47—20 in Chriatchurch, 21 in Wellington, 3 in Auckland, and 3 in Dunedin. I have little doubt that thechief cause of dysentery in the district is impure air from foul cesspits, and exhalations from a subsoil saturated with filth, stinking drains and ballyflushed side channels, will help in its prodnction —and I fear my experience among charitable aid patients compels me to state that improper and insufficient food have also had a good deal to do with the prevalence of this disease. It is thought by some authorities that dysentery is infectious, that it is closely allied to typhoid fever, and that it is communicable through the effluvia from dysenteric excreta. The Board is aware that I attribute as the chief causes of typhoid fever in the district cesspits and ill-kept leaky pans, and that in my report of February 19th I recommended additional inspection to be carried out in the city. This inspection, up to the present time, has completed about three-fourths of tho town, and has discovered no less than seventy-one cesspits, and seventy-nine leaky pans. Tho inspectors are gaining most valuable information as to the sanitary condition of each house. Among the unsanitary condition* they found water-closets whose owners' flush d them into the side channels. In reference to this subject it is worthy of note that one of these householders has typhoid fever in his house. Another has escaped, but his next-door neighbour has a member of his family seriously attacked with typhoid fever withontany apparent cause save the flushing of the closet ii.to the side channel. Intimately connected with the prevalence of typhoid fever and dysentery is the diminished flow in the artesian wells, which in the higher parts of the district has fallen below tho surface level. If the health of the city and suburbs is to be seriously considered, water for flushing purposes is urgently needed Unless the Board intends to admit excreta to the deep sewers now in process of construction, I would suggest that a less barbarous method than the present system of removal in uncovered pans should be carried out. It is not only decidedly unpleasant, but it is also prejudicial to the public health to have such emanations polluting the air. In the more thickly populated pot tions of the district outside the city boundaries large areas will soon become excrement-sodden to an alarming extent unless nightsoil men are provided without further deUy. lam frequently told the prevailing nuisance would gladly be abolished if householders could obtain their services. While I would emphasise that the filthy condition of the ground engendered in many places by cesspits and deficient pans, and by the absence of house drainage and dustbin mo immodation for house refuse—will with certainty in the future increase the sick and death rate of the district, I fear the public is apt to forget the benefit to the general health which is likely to follow from a proper system of drainage and sewerage being carried out. Such improvements would mean less rheumatism, less heart disease, less catarrhal complaints. In a low, waterlogged place like the Christchurch district, they ought to mean from about 45 to 50 per cent, less deaths from consumption, 45 per cent, less deaths from typhoid fever, very considerably less from dysentery and diarrhoea, and the general death rate proportionately decreased. Moreover, in a properly drained and sewered town cholera epidemics are, according to Dr. Buchanan, "rendered practically harmless."—l have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) Cotjbtnet Nedwtli., M D., Medical officer. The Chairman said the above report disclosed a state of things which supported the view he had taken regarding the responsibilities of the Board of Health in adopting sanitary precautions. The report was adopted. The concluded the ordinary business, and after passing the accounts the Board adjourned.