BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2522, 9 May 1882, Page 4

BOARD OF HEALTH.

An ordinary meeting took place yesterday, immediately after tho meeting of the Drainage Board. Present—Mr W. Vincent (chairman), Dr. Doyle, and Messrs J. E. Parker. W. F. Hubbard, A. Ashworth, S. Manning, F. Jones, L Harper, and Dr. Nedwill (medical officer). The Medical Officer reported, for the quarter ending March 31st, that cases of infections diseases had been reported to the Board as follows :

Fever (mostly Diph- Scarlet Typhoid), theria. fever. Measles, Christchurch 20 2 11 10 Bydonham... 36 7 1 3 Avon ... 4 9 3 1 Heathcote... 18 0 3 3 Eicoarton ... 10 2 1 1 Spreydon ... 1 2 0 0

89 22 19 18 Four of these oases were reported from the Hospital, and wore admitted from outside Christchurch According to the months, they were distributed thus •

Scarlet Fever. Diphtheria. Fever. Meaales. •Tannery 22 9 2 7 February 37 3 4 8 March ... 30 10 13 3 Tha numbers reported for the corresponding three months of 1881, were—Fever, 59 ; diphtheria, 14 ; scarlet fever, 7 ; meaales, 1. The mortality in Christchurch was, per 1000 of the population monthly—January, I'lo ; February, 0 97 ; Match, 1 22 ; and for the corresponding months of 1881—January, TBS; February, I*l3 ; March, TSB. The mortality in Sydenham was—January, I'o4 ; February, I 26 ; March, 1’37 ; and for, the corresponding three months of last year — January, T2B : February, TBO ; March, 2 05. The deaths registered during the quarter in ( hristohnroh from the principal ayino-io diseases, were—Fever, 1(; diarrhoea. 5 ; and for the corresponding aoriod of 1881—Typhoid fovor, 2 ; dysentery, 6 ; diarrhoea, 16. For the corresponding quarter of 1830, there were 46 deaths registered, namely—Typhoid fever, 7 : dysentery, 20 ; diarrhoea, 19. It would be seen that tha mortality statistics compared most favorably with those of tha corresponding quarter of 1881: not only had there |been fewer deaths from zymotic diseases, but 'the general death rate is lower ; more cases of infectious diseases have been reported, but this increase must bo accounted for by the Amended Health Act throwing upon medical practitioners the responsibility of notifying such cases to the Board. The medical officer was torry to find it bis duty to bring under the notice of the Board that in two cases the pravi-ions of the Act have not b»en complied with. Two deaths were registered as having occurred in Christchurch—one on the 26th of March from “low fever,” tha certificate beiog ngned by W. H. Symes ; the other on the sth of April from “nervous fever,” the certificate baing signed H. H. Prins. As “lowfever” and “nervous fever” are synonymous terms for “typhoid fever,” and as no''.reports of those cases had been made to the Board of Health it would be necessary for the Board to determine what action should be taken in the matter. Several cases of diphtheria had occurred in the St. Albans part of the Avon district, and as most of the children affected had been in a’tendance at the public school, the medical offi er had recommended it should be closed until it bad been well disinfected. Scarlet fever seemed to bo on the increase, and there was every probability of its becoming epidemic, unless isolation of cases be carried ont. The Board should remember how thoroughly helpless it would be in the event of any highly dangerous epidemic disease breaking ont in the district. With no hospital accommodation for infectious cases, and ne disinfecting chamber, it would find itself in a position scarcely consistent with compulsory reporting. The Board should bear in_ mind that we ware by no means seenra against a visitation from smallpox, and that no action had yet been taken with regard to the large number of school children in the district which still remained unvacoinated. The Board would consider whether tha present Order in Council ennbhd it to exercise control over those dairies which, although situated outside the boundaries of the Christchurch drainage district, yet supplied a large proportion of the milk used in the district. Clearly, the Board must have power over all dairies from which milk ia brought for sale within tha limits of its jurisdiction, otherwise it cannot efficiently protect the public. The medical officer knew at present of a dairyman who lived outside the district and supplied milk in large quantities to the Christchurch public. A member of his family was now suffering from typhoid fever, and although the medical officer had visited his house and given directions which, if ont, would prevent any risk to hia customers, it would not bo right to leave in doubt the powers of the Board to enter on this man’s premises. On Mr Packer’s motion it was resolved “That the chairman of the Board of Health confer with the Mayor respecting a chief inspector of nuisances for the whole drainage area, and that, if tha city authorities be willing, Mr W. Pearee be appointed to that duty.” In reference to the in the report respecting Drs. Symes and Prina, it was arranged that tha chairman communicate with them asking for an explanation. It was agreed to advise the Government that numbers of school children in tha district yet remained unvaccinated.

In pursuance of a recommendation ia the report, it was agreed that a book sbonld be kept for each sub division of the di-trict, in which to enter cases of infectious diseases reported, the instructions of the medical officer for the inspectors, and the result after inspection. Mr 0. J. Bussell, M.D., wrote regarding an open drain on the east side of the premises occupied, as alleged, by Mr N. MoGormao, Dryden street, near Selwyn street, and enclosing letter to the Central Board of Health, dealing with the necessity of vaccination and re-vacci-nation. Beferred to the chairman. A letter wis received from the Colonial Secretary’s Office re fee of £1 for registering a dairy, &o. All the Governor’s powers had, by the Order in Council of 19th December, been given to the local Boards of Health, so that whatever power the Governor in Council had of imposing f ees was vested in the Chriatohuroh Drainage Board. However, there was a doubt whether such power existed. Mr Jones said he had heard it was in contemplation to hold a meeting of dairymen to discuss the regulations, and Dr. Nedwill mentioned that the English Act exempted persons who had a cow, and sold milk merely to oblige a neighbor.

The town clerk, Auckland, wrote that ths Council paid no salary to tha medical officer of health, but fees for actual work done; (3) that there was no locsl inspection of dairies; and (3) that the Council, as the City Local Board of Health, had no control outside the city boundary. Ths town clerk, Wellington, wrote to a similar purport. The Eev. J. Rishworth wrote that tha inspector hod examined his premises throughout, and reported them to be ia excellent sanitary condition. The writer added that stagnation and putrefaction arose from the defective state of the road channel, which in two places was cons derably depressed. Mr W. Large wrote from Stanmore road south re disgraceful state of creek running behind his dwelling, the stench being likely to cause f..ver. If the Board would find pipes, he would put them in and cover them up. ■ Beferred to Prainage Board.

Mr Me n-ling’s motion was carried—•“ That a letter be sent homo for information as to cost and best f> aterial touching disinfecting chambers to be used in connection with an infectious diseases hospital, in the event of such a building being built.” A conversation ensued as to what site would bo desirable for such an institution.

1 he meeting concluded at a quarter-past six o’clock, wi'h Dr. Doyle’s notice of motion—--11 That in future the meetings of the Board of Health be held previous to those of the Drainage Board, on alternate days.”

A gentleman, calling on a farmer, observed : ‘Mr Jones, your clock is not quite right, is it ?’ ‘ Well, you see, sir,’ said Mr Jones, ' nobody don’t understand much about that clock but me. When the hands o£ that clock stand at twelve, then it strikes two; and then I know it’s twenty minutes to seven.’ Self evident.—A tall, green sort of a well dressed fellow walked into a Broadway saloon the other day, where they were talking politics upon a high key, and, stretching himself ap to his full height, exclaimed, 1 Where are the Damoorats ? Show me a Democrat, gentleman, and I’ll show you a liar !’ In an instant a man stool before the inquirer in a war like attitude, and said, ‘lam a |Democrat, sir.’ ‘You are?’ * Yes, sir, I am.’ ‘.Well, just step round the corner with me, and I’ll show you a fellow who said I couldn’t find a Democrat in the ward. Ain’t be a liar, 1 should like to know ?’