DANGEROUS RETRENCHMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 666, 17 November 1909, Page 8

DANGEROUS RETRENCHMENT.

NO HEALTH OFFICER AT PJCTON. ' AUSTRALIAN BOAT NQT CLEARISD. . rffFECTIOUS DISEASES NEGLECTED. .. Banger to public health is stated to have been created by the abolition of the District Health. Officer for • Marlborough in accordance with, the fovflmmenfs" retrenchment policy. When cases,', of infectious diseases are discovered they, can no longer be prompdy ( isolated, : and tho preniisas disinfected 1 to 1 , prevent the" spread .pf . the disease. . Notification.must be made to the head office in and instructions and: authority. requested' which "may take several : dajs to. arrive. But this :is not' the only source' of danger... The position of Port Health Officer ha,s : also been, left vacant, and when the steamer Brisbane.' with, a cargo of coal, arrived at. Pier toil last • week, there was no person to - make the .usual examination, and. the crew 'were lowed to go 'on shpre without any precautions' being taken to ascertain that the vessel . was free of disease; It is. not'sorprising that these effects of retrenchment.have cansea alarm .and indigßation in Blenheim and Picton, and fre-; quant letters and telegrams have been sent, to memlLers of Parliament protesting against,, the.: risks: to which the •district'is, exposed. ....

Case of the Brisbane.. „ According to the Marlborough "Press," which claims "authoritative soor.ces" foT its in-, .formation, Dr. W. E.; Redman, District Health Officer, was retired from that position in September last. Excellent services had been giTen. by the doctor, as was acknowledged in a retiring testimonial given him by Dr. Valintine, the new Chief Health Officer. After his retirement Dr. Redman retained for a short time the position of Port Health Officer- at Picton, but resigned that position in the second week of October. His salary, both as District and Port Health Officer, was then, according to the "Press, considerably in arraar, and he "disclaimed any responsibility. for . his resignation ( P" 00 ?. latter position, on ;the gronnd that the district had "been treated visry shabbily by . the Government health authorities." • .. Nothing more wiis heard of the matter' uii the Brisbane arrived at Picton from Newcastle last week. .. The Eton. D. Buddo . then 'telegraphed to Dr. Redman asking him on what terms ha wouH "clear" the foreign * Dr. Redman replied that he would inspect the ship on consideration that a Port Health Officer should be appointed. The Minister, s answer was ho nad '*110 authority to re-appoint». and the Brisbane remained uncleared. she came up to, the wharf on Wednesday mornrng, however, and another urgent message from Mr. Baddo, again : asking Dr. Redman to clear the boat at his own terms, "or pther arrangements would be made/' was answered to the effect tnat "it was useless clearing the boat now,' as the officers were on shore. The importance of having a Port Health Officer at Picton is evident from the fact thai the port is visited continually by foreign vessels. ■ ' Infectious Diseases. Several <kbcs . aie : quoted by the Marlborough "Press" to show the danger which threatens the community from the absence of a District Health Officer. Last Sunday week a case of scarlet fever was diagnosed in Picton and official intimation was 1 posted that night to the Health Department in "Wellington. As the direct mail did not leave till Taesdav, the authorities at headquarters would not be apprised of the position until Wednesday, and up to Thursday last, five days after the outbreak, the house ; concerned had not been cially inspected. Aeain, a_ ca» o£ fever and a case of diphtheria reported, in the Haveioek district were notified:to the Wellington office recently, but it; is stated that • for days no steps were taken by the officers of the Department to prevent - these diseases spreading through , the neighbourhood. It is impossible to see /how. the health ■ authorities in Wellington can. ever be .expected: to deal promptly flfld effectivelywith outbreaks of disease., whdA : may'occur in Marlborough.

The Minister in ' Reply. A Tepty to the statements that, have-been published was given as follows to a DOMINION representative yesterday by. the Minister for Public Heaitji (the Hon. jD. Bttddo). , It mil be seen that the rtply virtually bears out the complaints that hare been made. "The facts of the case are," said' Mr. Buddo, "that the Port Health Officer, Dr. Redman, resigned immediately before the arrival of the Brisbane at Picton,. and, on being asked to clear the vessel, stated tie would - do so if he'were reappointed District Health Officer and. Port .Health Officer. , A reply was'sent to the effect! that .tbere was no authority to appoint' a ' District . Health Officer, ■ only a Port Health, Offioer, and later he was asked if. he would . inspect, the vessel for a 'Sit. Dr. Redman .replied, thai:' there was now no necessity for an. inspection, as it, was too late. ' . : ■

"With regard to: the question of. the infectious diseases referred to, it is the duty 'of every medical man to report to the local authorities oil cases of infectious disease. It the local authority requires .■ assistant®, they advise the phief Health Officer, who at once makes arrangements to have the necessary .medical investigation." .

It may be pointed out. that, whereas s the Minister states that Br. • Redman • resigßid his position as Port 'Health Officer lEiinmedtatoly1 E iinmedtatoly before fhe. arrival of the' Brisbane," the; daw of his, resignation'. is definitely, given by .'the Marlhprongh "Press", as the second week of October—a month before the -servrcss of a Port Health Officer were so urgently req aired, and could not he obtained. '