BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2194, 8 March 1881, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

The Board of Health Met yesterday afternoon at half past two o'olook. Present—Mr Harman (chairman), Messrs Hobbs, Cuff, White, Hall, and Brown. The medical officer's annual report, postponed from last meeting, was brought forward by the Chairman, who stated that Dr. Nedwill was in attendance to answer any questions that the members might desire to put to him. Mr Hall suggested that the consideration of the report should be postponed till next meeting. Having been absent, he had only ■just seen a oopy of it, and there were several recommendations by the medical officer requiring mature consideration. He moved that the consideration of the report be postponed. Members generally had no objection to the postponement, seeing that they were pot pressed for time in tho matter, and the motion was carried. The following cases of infeotions diseases were recorded for the monthß of January and

presented and passed for payment. The following letter was read from Dr. Prins:— Chriatchnrch, February 21st, 1881. The Chairman Local Board of Health. Sir,—l beg to return the onvelopes enclosing cards for reporting infections diseases.

Referring to my former letter, I stated that, not being in active practice I was not in a position to report cases, but offered to do all in my power to assiat the Board. I may, however, frankly add that, were I in such practice, I should, undor present circumstances (and without intending the slightest discourtesy to yourself, your position, or Board) decline to act as requested. I consider that the Health Officer, by the course he adopted in reference to the late Hospital Enquiry, has forfeited the confidence that ought to attach te a person in his position, and, further, I have grave doubts if he iB in any way fitted to fill any position of responsibility. I remain, Ac, H. H. Fiuns. Mr Hall regarded the letter as grossly insulting. It was also quite unwarranted by the facts. Dr. Ned will's action in reference to the enquiry was supported by the evidenoe taken thereat and the decision of the Commissioner appointed to mako the investigation. The Chairman read a letter he had sent to Dr. Prins, requesting him to reconsider his decision, the letter being as follows : February 23, 1881. Dr. Prins, Manchester street. Sir, —I beg to acknowledge tho receipt of your letter of 21st February, returning the " reporting cards'' which had been furnished to you by our secretary. May I venture to suggest to you that, even though the practice of your profession may now be limited to a consulting practice, cases must occur, from time to time, in which it would he your manifest duty to inform a patient that he mi Buffering from an infectious disease. In such an event, the patient's convenience would certainly be promoted by the use of thecards. I will, therefore, auk you to allow re o not to consider your present answer aB final, and I need hardly add that I do this in the discharge of a plain public duty, and without considering who may hippen to be the medical officer of the Board. —I have, Ac., R. J. S. Habman, Chairman. The Chairman added that ho had not yet received any reply to this letter. Mr Brown, referring to tho remarks of Mr Hall, which he thought should not be allowed to pass unchallenged, said the enquiry into the Hospital management was, in fact, no enquiry at all, the decision of the Commissioner not being in accordance with the evidence, but simply an expression of opinion by a medical man added to that of a few other medical men. Further, it might be said that the late enquiry into the Wellington Lunatic Asylum pointed to the conclusion that Dr. Skae was not a fit person to have held such an enquiry as that made in reference to our Hospital. But this he said simply in answer to Mr Hall's remark. With regard to the letter of Dr. Prins, he did not approve of the tone of the latter part. But it behoved the Board to see that their medical officer was a person not calculated to be at loggerheads with the majority of medical men in the district. It was in fact desirable that such an officer should not be in active private practice, in order that he might not have conflicting interests to consider. Some further discussion ensued, and a question was then raised as to whether the letter of Dr Prins should be published. Mr Hobbs moved that the letter be handed to the reporters. Seconded by Mr Hall and oarried. Mr Brown raised the question of Papanui drainage, asking whether action had been taken in view of their medioal officer's late report. The Chairman answered that nothing had been done by the Road Board, and the question appeared to present same difficulty. After the matter had been duly considered, The following was carried—" That Mr Brown and Mr Ross be appointed a deputa tion from this Board to wait upon the Avon Road Board, and represent to them the serious danger to the publio health arising from the present state of the side channels in Papanui." It was also determined to ask the engineer of the Drainage Board and the medical officer to accompany the deputation. This concluded the business, and the Board adjourned.

February :— Typhoid Diph - Scarlet MeaFever. theria. Fever. sles. Tl. Christchurch... 3 — 2 1 6 Sydenham and Sproydon ... 2G — 1 <6 4 Avon 2 10 — — 12 Keathocte ... 7 . — 1 — 8 Kiccarton ... — — — — 33 10 4 1 53 Accounts to the amount of £379 IBs were