THE TYPHOID EPIDEMIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1922, Page 7

THE TYPHOID EPIDEMIC.

DEATH AT HOSPITAL. ; CASES NOW TOTAL 113. Since yesterday only a few additional cases have been reported in connection j with the typhoid outbreak. There were three more notifications this morning,! which, together with those notified yeeerday, bring the total borough notifications up to 113. Another death took place at the hospital yesterday, the victim being Miss Marie" M. Walmsley, aged 23, of Eden-j dale. There have been two admissions I to the hospital to-day. All the other patients are understood to be dome well. This death brings the roll number to eeven, including those reported from the Mental Hospital. There have been no I further caeee reported at the latter institution. When seen this morning I>r. Hughe* said that he bad little to report. He I expressed the opinion, however, that thej worst was now over and that there i should be an improvement towards the! end of the week. j In the meantime the echoole in the affected area will remain closed. I It has been reported to the healthauthorities that a number of persons' suffering from mild typhoid have not been confining themselves to their homee. When commenting upon this Dr. Hughee said the Health Act provided a very heavy penalty in such eases. All pereone who may be suffering in a mild form were required, be «aid, to take the. same precautions that are necesaary in, the more severe cases, and disinfection \ ot excreta in theee mild caeee was quite' essential. NORTH SHORE WATER SUPPLY. | CONFERENCE WITH MINISTER. In view of the typhoid outbreak in the ! Mount Albert district the Minister of Public Health this morning discussed the situation with representatives of Devonport, Takapuna, Northcote and Birkenhcad, which draw their supplies from Lake Takapuna. He urged that expert advice be immediately taken and collected as to the practicability of utilising supplementary schemes that have been long in the air, namely, the Okura and Otara Streams, while he also viewed with favour an alternative suggestion—the formation of a Metropolitan Board, which would draw its supply from the same sources as the city. The Minister pointed to the tremendous increase of population in the marine boroughs, all dependent on Lake Takapuna. It wae obvious, he said, that this could not be the source for all time, because of the imminent danger of pollution from buildings in the environs. "I don't wish to be an alarmist," he said, "but any day you might have trouble at Takapuna." Several of those present spoke as to the limited powers of the present board of control The Board, it appears, has authority to borrow only £20,000, which is quite inadequate to facilitate any comprehensive undertaking for an alternative supply. Mr. Greville, chairman of the recentlyconstituted Board, said that reports already in hand showed that there were reasonable prospects of getting an alternative supply, but further discussion showed that, even so, Lake Takapuna might have to be used as a conversation area, which involved again the question of its pollution. Mr. H. W. King suggested the reconstitution of the Board of Control, as had been outlined to Cabinet Ministers. The - latest phase in the controversy over the . matter he understood to be amalgamaf tion of the four boroughs as a Metropoli- ; tan Board, to draw supply from the city. t Mr. A. M. Gould discussed the TakaI puna aspect, and favoured the early eet- , tlement of the practicability of the . supplementary schemes. ' Mr. J. W. Court and Mr. W. E. Rich- . ardson also spoke on the matter, as it . concerned Xorthcote and Birkenhead. I The Minister, in terminating the conference, said that what had been eaid only strengthened his conviction that early action was necessary, and asked those present to come and tender him tangible information within the next two months. OME-THEE HTLX. WATER. \ At the One-tree Hill Road Board I meeting last night, the chairman (Mr. R. G. Clark) observed that recent discussions regarding the chlorination of [ drinking water might lead people to believe the procoes an absolute failure. ' The One-tree Hill Road Board was the j J only local body treating its water to four days' chlorination in a reservoir ' before filtering it, and >by this method * foreign matter was reduced from 8 per cent to 3 per cent. The bacteriologist at 1 the Auckland Hospital had reported the 1 water to he satisfactory. 1 Dr. T. J. Hughes wrote to the board i emphasising the importance of taking ' every C are in running thp Candy filter, 8 in which the human factor could >com 6 ' into play. It was advisable to obtain r water from a safe source rather than 3 use sources liable to serious contamination. The inspector was instructed to pay particular attention to the milk supply, . and to inspect depots, cans, and other I utensils.