SIMPLE RULES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 5, 7 January 1942, Page 7

SIMPLE RULES

WATER, FOOD, DRAINS

EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

In the course of a lecture to a "full gathering of E.P.S. workers in Lower Hutt last evening, Dr. Hubert Smith, of the Health Department, said it might be thought hard to have to adopt primitive sanitary measures, but it was quite possible to maintain health if ordinary rules' of sanitation were adopted. The Chinese, living in overcrowded conditions, had neither water supplies nor water-borne sewage. Their water was often drawn fi'om polluted wells, yet they managed to maintain health by boiling all drinking water and cooking all food. Vitamins need not be destroyed if food was lightly cooked. •

Valuable lessons had been learnt from the methods used by the Italians in the campaign in Abyssinia. Typhoid and dysentery had been practically non-existent by insisting that all water should be boiled and all food cooked, and before- eating every man had to wash his hands in water containing Condy's crystals. The following are points from Dr. Smith's advice:—

After a bombing raid treat all water as potentially polluted; sewage may enter a broken watermain.

Boil all water used for drinking, and preferably all water used for washing the hands.

Economise" in the i}se of water, which may be needed for fire fighting. Keep supplies of boiled water covered, and use a sterilised dipper.

Conserve rain water from down pipes in clean receptacles. Put out fires or turn off electricity used for hot water services, and use the hot water supply service for water storage.

Lock or bar w.c.s in case sewer mains are damaged. Provide beforehand earth closets, and use them until the sewers are functioning again. Don't use sinks or hand basins; wash in bowls and basins and dispose of the soiled water in the garden. Prepare an incinerator and burn all refuse.

Bury nightsoil and wet refuse, not more than spade deep. - ..' Use no disinfectant on nightsoil or refuse to be buried.

Cook all food. Keep food covered with clean cloths. r Use Condy's; crystal's in water for washing the hands?

The meeting was presided over by Mr. -E."P. Hay, chief warden. . o«><the motion of Mr. G. H. Mackley, -tire.!; speaker was accorded a hearty swbte fof thanks.