CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1771, 27 August 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[ DIPTHERIA. ' ; '."/.' To the Editor, i Sir,—Since writing my last letter to i you lam sorry to have noticed that i the terrible scourge of diptheria is working in our midst, , I notice that , blame has been attributed to the . Council, the medical officer and the i School Committee;; -It appears to me ; that the outbreak must have occurred i since the council last met, consequently ; it would be rather premature to blame i either the medical officer or the Council until we see that their duties are ! neglected, and so far as the School Committee are concerned they appear i to be now taking every precaution. It | is to be hoped that a thoroughly exhaustive report will be put before the Council by their medical officers at the next meeting, and that active measures will be taken. In the meantime . there is a rumor that all the cases so far can be traced to the infant class at " the public school, and there appears to be some truth at the bottom of this. As diptberia js suppqset} |x> be caused by impure drinking water, it would be as well for enquiry to be made whether. any of the infants are in the habit of drinking the water in that abominable creek running out of Mr Renall's land, after draining through that mass of vegetable corruption imprison«d on the adjoining property. The stench from this source is enough to breed a pestilence, and it is very probable that the origin of the prevailing epidemic may be traced to it, There is certainly no more dangerous' nuisance in the town, and it it high time the owners were proqaeded. against in a summary manner, as it is impossible tq prevent little children from drinking the poison, and innocent' lives are not to be sacrificed to gratify the ignorance orwilfulness' of any interested persons. , ; I am, etc, . ■■•*, : Pater, Masterton, August 25th, 1884.