BOROUGH HEALTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 April 1938, Page 3

BOROUGH HEALTH

SURVEY OF PAST YEAR INCIDENCE OF DIPHTHERIA. REPORT BY INSPECTOR. The annual report of the Borough Inspector (Mr T. A. Russell), presented at Tuesday night's meeting of the Masterton Borough Council states:— INFECTIOUS DISEASE. “Eighty-four cases of notifiable infectious diseases were reported in the year ended March 31, 1938, comprising as follows:—Diphtheria, 52 (one fatal); scarlet fever, 11 cases; pulmonary tuberculosis, 13 cases; poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) 3 cases; erysipelas, 4 cases; sapraemia, 1 case. “The number of diphtheria cases is causing me no little concern,” stated Mr Russell. "Fortunately they are for the most part of a comparatively mild type. The cases have largely been among families whose children attend one school and everything short of wholesale immunisation has been done in the endeavour to check the disease. Numerous swabs have been taken byMiss Hodges, of the Health Department, who has co-operated most earnestly in carrying out the directions of the Medical Officer of Health. All patients have been removed to hospital, the usual quarantine imposed and instructions given re disinfection. From the bacteriological findings the carrier rate does not appear to be high or is the rate of spread rapid, but cases keep cropping up here and there making the total for the year rather formidable. One encouraging feature is our medical men are on the alert and loose no time in using antitoxin, lessening the severity of the attack and robbing diphtheria of its old time terror

“Thirteen cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were notified as compared with four last year. Although the figures are higher, year to year comparisons as to the actual contracing of infection in Masterton may be misleading as a number of the patients come from outside districts and may have had the infection months or even years before their arrival here. Masterton was fortunate as compared with other centres during the last epidemic as only one case of poliomyelitis actuallyoccurred in the Borough; two others were notified but both were infected prior to arrival here.’ WATER SUPPLY. Referring to the water supply, Mr Russell said that the catchment area had been again inspected and a report furnished the Medical Officer of Health. Samples of waler had been taken for chemical analysis, the water being considered of a good quality for potable purposes. With reference to the milk supply, Mr Russel stated that all town supplying cows, 656, had been T.B. tested by the veterinarian, three only having proved reactors, less than .5 per cent. Each of these three had been cows that had been bought in during the year. “If the farmers would co-operate still further and notify the veterinarian of the purchase or intended purchase of new stock, the animals could be tested prior to inclusion in the herds and if this were done consistently, T.B. would, I am sure, be almost a thing of the past as far as our town supplying herds are concerned,’ said Mr Russell. HOUSING SURVEY. The housing survey as required by the Government was carried out, the conditions being found for the most part satisfactory, there being verylittle over-crowding. FOOD LICENCES. “The following food premises were licensed,” continued Mr Russell. -‘Fifteen bakers, 11 butchers, 3 cordial and aerated water manufacturers, 14 dairies, 32 ice cream vendors, 5 fish shops. 23 eating-houses, making a total of 103. All food premises are inspectea annually, reported on to the Council, and any repairs necessary carried out before the licence is issued. Further inspection work is done as opportunityoffers. Our food premises arc on the whole well conducted and I have to thank the proprietors for their co-op-eration during the year.” FLY CONTROL WORK. "A good deal of time has been devoted to fly control work with varying success." continued Mr Russell. "The sports grounds were all visited early in the fly season and the groundsmen requested to be particularly- careful with grass cuttings, which unless covered as soon as taken oil the lawn act as an excellent hatching ground. Very few Hies were in evidence before March, the very- hot dry weather appearing to be unfavourable. During Marell, owing to rain with hot weather following, the weather has been suitable for the heating of decaying vegetation and flies have been much morenumerous. Flies will hatch succcssiuily in any decaying organic matter which heats sufficiently-. I have found them doing so in a box of welted and decaying orange wrapping paper. In a town like ours where garden are very numerous and heaps of decaying vegetation are frequently found, unless ive have the intelligent co-operation < i the people we will still continue to j spend pounds in fly- papers and sprays I and ornament our homes with fly I corpses, when a little intelligent pre-

vention would have been far more effective and less costly.” TRAFFIC WORK. “Traffic work continues to increase, heavy traffic fees show a rise of from £2281 15s 2d to £2577 Is 3d, an increase of £295 6s Id. Drivers' licenses have increased by- 227. from 1999 to 2226, as compared with last year. 272 applicants for drivers’ licenses were examined. 36 failing to pass the test. 14 taxis were licensed.” Legal proceedings were taken against various persons for breaches of the Health Act, the Traffic Regulations and Borough By-laws. The cases were as follow: —Establishing an offensive trade without a license 1; resisting an order of the Medical Officer of Health, 1; using a hose after hours, 1; creating a nuisance, 2; speeding, 14; no light on cycle, 8; parking in prohibited area, 5; no drivers’ license, 13; no white mudguard, 2; no heavy traffic licence, 6; parking out from kerb, 5; no warrant of fifitness, 20; passing car on intersection, 3; driving with one light, 3; riding on footpath, 3; total 87. Fines amounted to £79 10s.”