THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1520, 9 March 1916, Page 2

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

It is pleasing to note that householders throughout the borough are taking necessary precautions to keep their premises in a sanitary condition with a view to minimise the spread of infectious diseases. These, precautions are very necessary in Fo&ton because we have no water and drainage system and every back yard contains, in the pan system, a lurking place for disease germs. Every pan should be treated periodically with .disinfectant and when the removal takes place the con-

tractor should treat the pan to a sprinkling of lime or other germ killer before replacing it. We have no fault to find with the contractor as the removal is very efficiently carried out, but some improvement could be effected in the manner suggested. House tanks should receive an annual cleansing, preferably' in the late spring. This is most important as the roof and gutters collect bird droppings and other filth which contaminate the water used tor domestic purposes. It is surprising how much filth accumulates in a house tank in the course of a year. While on the question of tanks and in view of the fact that a borough water supply seems to be as far off as ever the Borough Council should pass a by-law compelling the owners of property to erect sufficient tanks to provide every household with water sufficient for all purposes, A Bountiful Providence provides this .country with sufficient water, but leaves to the local authority the dealing with the skinflint landlord. The Borough Council has ample power to enforce a by-law in this connection. A number of children attending the local State school rarely get a bath because parents have to jealously guard the water supply. Bodily cleanliness is essential to the health of the little ones and a law should be passed compelling landlords to erect in every cottage a bath. About a third of the houses in Foxton are without this convenience. Every year Foxton has its crop of infectious diseases and the children are, in the main, the innocent victims. Bodily cleanliness is essential to good health and every provision should be made by the local authority to see that the health of the community comes first. The recent outbreak of infantile paralysis has had the effect of stirring people up to habits of cleanliness.