HEALTH MATTERS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 83, 9 April 1910, Page 9

HEALTH MATTERS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

MAXV CASES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. " [MX TZLtOttlPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.J CHRISTCHURCH, This Dsy. Several doctors in Christchurch report thai there are many caws of typhoid and diphtheria juct now. Dr. Thacker, in conversation with a reporter, stated that he atuibuted the present occurrence- largely to the opening up of the sewers and thoroughfares that had taken plac« recently. Typhoid organism.", he taid, were very longlived. It had been shown that on tho St. Lawrenco River tkey had been frozen up for two or thr^e years, and had retained' all their malignancy. He believed that the opening up of the roads for the purpose of laying tbe water pipes and the opening ot fewers as in Madras-street had ha a an effect on the general health of the community. He also thought that the consumption of buttermilk was to blame. It had become fashionable to drink buttermilk, and he knew that excellent effects bad been obtained, but the trouble was that people did not take what watt known as surgical rare. From the end of November until May it was specially liable to be a means ot propagating the typhoid bacillut, and the greatest care xbould be taken to have it properly treated. Tho same remark;, be added, applied to fcui milk. Another doctor stated that although thi» city s flatness militated againxt a really adcouato drainage t>y*tem there was IK) doubt that Chrittchurcb waa in a much better position than it nrvnpiH some years ago. Tbe city> position on tbe flat land bad a marked cttect on the health of ihe people. He believed that it reduced the working capacity of the average person in the city by 10 or 15 per cent, compared with what it would be if the people lived in a higher and drier •ocality. Evidence jp that respect was supplied by the improvement experienced by people who lived on th* Port Hill* or who went, (or a few weeks to Hanmcr or Mt. Cook. These places had done more for tbe health of ChriMchurcb than even tbe deep drainage scheme. The drainage *y*tem was fairly good, but it was not altogether adequate. The city was too flat to enable a gravitation ty*t«m to be carried out properly. There was not «umcient fall lor tbe tewer*. If Chriitchurch had to be drained over again a gravitation system would not be thought of. He had no doubt that in that cate the pneumatic system would be adopted. It Lad operated with much success in Wellingon where the sewage vet* taken for several miles over a hill 400 feet high out to sea. The *y*t«ni was lower th»n it would be if they lived in higher and drier places.