THE DEADLY TYPHOID.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 105, 2 May 1908, Page 8

THE DEADLY TYPHOID.

outbreak at cox's cbekk. New system advc-ated. Pinned to a wall in the Auckland Public Health Office is a chart, closely resembling a military plan of campaign, and deadly ominous in its significance. The chart represents Auckland city and its environs, and it is studdted wit. little groups of yellow flags, representing the base of operations from which the typhoid outbreaks have been traced during the summer. In some of the suburbs, such as Newmarket, the tiny yellow emblems are thickly dotted, but until last month, there was one locality which had been free from suspicion; and that embraced the scattered districts at the back of Grey Lynn. The full significance of the typhoid scourge can only be gauged from such an illustration as this, and during the month of April there has been a steady increase in the territory coming within the fever-stricken area. One of the worst movements during the month has been in the direction of _ox*s Creek, and whereas previously a case of typhoid had never been known in the locality, the number of little yellow flags has steadily grown during April, with the result that a group of twelve now stands out to mark the total cases reported up till yesterday. The outbreak has been a had one, and- in some cases as many as three are down in the one fa__iil>, one of the worst illustrations being that in which both parents and an only child arc all down with fever. Interviewed by a '*' Star " representative this morning, Dr. Purdy, Government Health. Officer, gave some interesting particulars . regarding the Cox's Creek oatbreak, and the needl for a keener awakening to the dangers which beset the community as a whole while typhoid is rampant. " Until recently,*' Dr. Purdy said, " Grey Lynn has been practically free of the typhoid scourge, but during April no less than 12 outbreaks have occurred at Cox's Creek. This is one of the districts which will in time be much benefited hy the introduction of the Greater Auckland drainage scheme, but at the lowest computation it will take six years to complete the scheme from, the time of its inauguration. The intention is to commence on the outlet sewer, and tnen link up the outside sewers with the main pipe. It is, therefore, patent that a special sewerage system should be put m for the dirainage of this district. "This question of drainage in such districts as Newmarket, Eden Terrace, and that area which drains into the Arch Hill Gully and Cox's Creek is one of the greatest importance. In the interest of public health, it is advisable that they should be drained as completely and expeditiously as possible. The public hardly seem to realise how much the insanitary condition of one part of the • town is a menace to the whole city. Es- * pecially is this danger apparent where people live in one suburb, and work in ' another. I "The Grey Lynn Borough Council has perhaps been more careful than most municipalities in carrying out the super- : vision and inspection of sanitary affairs, : and probably ranks second in this respect to the Thames. Personally," ad- ; ded the doctor, "I believe that there can be no satisfactory solution of one of the ' most vital problems until an arrange--1 ment is arrived at whereby the different ! authorities combine to take over the work of disposing of nightsoiL If the ! contract system was done away with, and a special gang of scavengers put on | by the municipalities, the present danger \ would be greatly minimised. Specia. traun, train, or vehicular service could be employed to run to a depot on the outskirts of the city, and then many of the present difficulties would be greatly obviated. Recent research proves that ■ earth burial is one of the safest methods of treatment, and it greatly enhances , the value of the soil for agricultural . i purposes.- If these suggestions were adopted, there would be practically no trouble in dealing with the excreta of eni teric, cases. Enteric or typhoid is a-dis- ' ease very easily communicated from one ( person to, another. Persons engaged in nursing fever patients may protect themselves by washing their hands with a disinfectant, and always keeping the patients' bed clothing as clean as possible. In the last English hospital I was in a bowl containing a disinfectant was placed at the bottom of each bed, where there was a typhoid, case. Nurses and doctors are trained automatically to dip their fingers in these bowls as they leave one bed to go to another." "Grey Lynn," Dr Purdy stated, "adopted a m_____pi.l system of doing all disinfecting gratis, instead of making ■ charges on the people, as is done in most other districts. "This principle is adopted in most modern towns, it being realised that where a family has a wage-earning unit down, and is compiled to pay medical and other fees, there is already a sufficient tax. As the disinfecting is done in the interests of the community as a whole, it is impolitic to penalise a household by charging for the disinfection. Grey Lynn has also set an example by supplying I disinfectants to the householders, and the method is one which might very well be emanated. The difficulties encountered in trying to suppress typhoid are numerous. Some persons act as carriers of typhoid germs for years after they have apparently recovered. Dr Dean, of the Leicester Institute, recently recorded a ease of a man whose gall bladder was found to contain typhoid fever germs 29 years after. It is beyond doubt that the outbreak of enteric during the South African war was to a large extent traceable to this source, together with the fact.that the filthy feet of faecal-feed-ing flies is a fruitful factor in the spread of the disease." As a result of the Cox's Creek outbreak, the public are beginning to awaken to -the need for better drainage; Mr P. Tv. Chalmers, a resident of Cox's'Creekroad, has been one of the strongest advocates of a better sanitary system in that locality, and he has brought the matter under the notice of the Publio I Health Department, the Grey Lynn Borough Council, and the City Engineer, Mr. Bush. It is believed that a new scheme will be formulated for the extension of the present sewer. The gradual, but nevertheless certain, extension of the fever areas, most force npon the public the realisation of the benefits of modern eanit-tioa, l- -.- r~■.,_-.- . si* . •- -■ . (|