The Temuka Leader. WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1879.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 143, 7 May 1879, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1879.

Anothke death from diphtheria in our iiitio township warns us that this fatal disease still lingers in our midst, and demands sanitary attention. An opinion prevailed that the dry warm weather was the primary cause of this disease springing up amongst us. Several months have guns by, however, and with them the summer weather lias taken its departure too; but it is quite evident the sectla of this cruel disease still remains, which leads us to seek for another cause tor all this trouble. The sorrow brought to a household by so great a. bereavement as has taken place in one family at least urgently calls for strict investigation. Anyone strolling along our streets in fine summer weather would come to the conclusion that this must be one of the healthiest little towns in existence, and so it ought to be. What, then, is the cause of this disease taking so deep root amongst us ? We recollect during the early clays of that now beautiful city, Melbourne, the death-rate .amongst children was enormous. It seemed as if some savage monster rose from the earth and struck down the little innocents at Ids pleasure, without respect to rank or person. Consternation seized the fond parents of the little victims, and no one seemed to understand the cause. By and bye, however, a mnehtravelled physician pointed out a cause which entirely solved the question. Tiie same ravages amongst the little ones took place in the early days of Christchurch, and from the same cause, which was thus decribed by tiro medical gentleman referred to. He said in his travels ho hacl mot in tropical climates the same slaughter of the innocents in almost all new towns. Using his own words he said “when a township is formed streets are laid out and roads are laid out to connect the country with the town. When these streets are being formed the pick, the spade, ami ’the plough arc used, and with those the soil is turned over m some parts to a depth of three to six feet, in doing so decaying vegetable matter which may have been .••.'•(•umuhiting and lying dormant for thousands of years is brought to the surface and there left at tiie mercy of every wind (hat blows, and by these being wafted to east, west, north, and south, the whole air became permeated with the poison which was thus lot loose by turning up to the surface this most deadly form of corruption, Many who could 1 not before ascribe a reason now began to see (hat this was cause and choc'; clearly demonstrated.” The same took place in Christchurch, (ho death-rate there dtiring the first years of its existence was much larger in proportion to population than it has ever been s ure. Melbourne, as years wore on, became jus’s noied for its slaughter of infants, (jhrisb’lmrch also, as this obnoxious vapour passed away and the streets became

more purified, also decreased in its deathrate until tliis summer, when it is a most remarkable fact that the greatest deathrate lias been in the suburbs (where new streets have been formed), and' not in the city proper. Tire same in every rapidlyadvancing city. Jjonbiicss there arc other causes which aggravate or foster disease, the one acting as a stimulant to the other, find tints securing between them a devastating triumph. Anyone who pays a visit to our neat and trim cemetery must be struck with the number of little graves to be seen in every direction, ;uid must ask himself or herself, What is the cause 1 Saddening it is UjS think that so much young file .should, be unnecessarily sacrificed. No natural cause can bo found why so much more mortality should take place amongst the offspring of tire animal man than amongst the other animals who do not thus die oft before they arc almost able to breathe the breath of life. Now, lot ns ask ourselves what is the cause of all tins death amongst us, and if wc cannot find an answer, let ns at least ask ourselves if we are doing ail that wo can to stop its ravages. A letter from a correspondent in another column bxings before us startling facts—facts that should make us almost ashamed. Wo had a law laid dorm by our Board of Health that human excrement should bo prevented from accumulating or being placed in such situation as would allow it to filter through the soil and mingle with the waiter we drink or use for our daily food ; yet wo find that law put at defiance or nearly altogether neglected to be carried out. And what is more, if onr correspondent's statement is correct, the. very health officer to whom a yearly salary has boon paid is a violator of this law in the grossest iirmner. Wo do xxot care to be placed amongst constant grumblers, but we arc hound to consider ourselves as exponents of public opinion in local as well as colonial matters along with other portions of the colonial press, anti wc cannot bub condemn such a flagrant breach of a very wise law for the protection of the public health. It is a crying shame for any intelligent individual to be guilty of such an act of carelessness, and it is doubly so wlen that individual is the officer who is paid for talcing care of the public health. Such a dereliction of duty ought to bo met with universal coixdonmation. The advice given by our correspondent is well worth taking notice of, and should be acted upon by every householder in the town. Most of our wells are only from eight to twelve feet deep ; xnost of the pits prepared to bury fixe filth are dug dowmto the shingle for the very purpose of finding’ a way of escape for the liquid matter’. It is therefore next to impossible for the water used to be free from contamination from this cause, thus leading to blood poisoning. It is little use endeavoring to provide a cottage hospital if wo are to set all laws that govern the public health at definance. Disease will assuredly generate unless this is at once put a stop to, and the law as laid down by the Board of Health is stringently acted upon by those who are appointed fur that purpose.