TYPHOID FEVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9012, 27 March 1888, Page 5

TYPHOID FEVER.

REPORT BY THE HOSPITAL MEDICAL

STAFF.

The following report of the Hospital medical staff on the subject of the typhoid fever outbreak, was submitted at a meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday evening—

Auckland Hospital, March 26,1888. Sir,— The medical officers attached to the Auckland General Hospital desire to direct the attention of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to the large number of typhoid fever patients admitted this season to the Hospital wards. As the members of the Board are already aware, the numbers amount to nearly 50 per cent, over those recorded last year. The medical officers are of opinion that the present outbreak is mainly due to one or more of the following causes : — (1) Imperfect drainage and sanitary arrangements ; (2) contamination of air and water; (3) disregard of the simplest laws of health by the people themselves.. It is urgently necessary that evils such as these be attended to at once.—(Signed) E. G. Lecjer Erson, B. G. Beale, E. D. Mackellar, honorary visiting physicians to the Auckland Hospital.

The following were addenda to the report :—Drs. Erson and Beale would recommend the institution of a provincial Board of Health, consisting of one or more scientists holding special qualifications in public health and sanitary engineering, the said Board to have full powers in all matters pertaining to the health of the city and province. Dr. Mackellar is of opinion that the Hospital Board should first confer with the City Council as to the efficiency of the present system of sanitary inspection and control, and its possible modifications or alteration.

Dr. Bell reported:—Typhoid fever patients are still coming in. Three new cases were admitted to-day—two females and one male. Yesterday one male was admitted. The total number at present under treatment is 23 males and 12 females.

Mr. Mays understood that the City Council had appointed a committee to report upon the subject, and their recommendations would probably bo presented on Thursday evening next. He thought it would be advisable that the honorary staff of the Hospital should be invited to confer with this committee, and he moved, That the honorary . physicians be thanked for their report, and that they be invited to confer with the committee appointed by the City Council to consider the subject." Mr. Cooper remarked that the Council would be too well pleased to have the opinions of the honorary staff.

In answer to a question, Dr. Beale, who was present, said there could be no question about it that there were 50 per cent, more typhoid cases in the Hospital at the present time than at any period during the year; and the rate would probably be large every year until the sanitary conditions of the city were improved.

Mr. Dignan remarked that the drainage of the city had this year increased in efficiency, and yet there was a multiplication of typhoid cases. Mr. Cooper said that great danger of contamination existed because of unclean dairies, and cases of typhoid had come from the country, where there could be no suspicion of inefficient drainage. The Chairman said that attention had been drawn to this fact by Dr. Erson. Mr. Cooper said that a dairyman had been ordered by Dr. Mackellar to cease purveying milk, but ho had refused, and the man afterwards caught typhoid fever, and died in the Hospital. Mr. Atkin pointed out that, when the sanitary inspector took a case into the Police Court, it was invariably dismissed. Dr. Mackellar hero entered the room, and, in reply to a question, expressed his concurrence in the chairman's motion ; and Dr. Bealf. having also stated that he was in accord with the proposal, Mr. Mays put the motion, when it was unanimously adopted.