BOARD OF HEALTH.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2252, 21 June 1881, Page 3

BOARD OF HEALTH.

A meeting of the Board of Health was held at 3.30 p.na. yesterday. Present—Messrs B, J. 8. Harman (chairman), J. Y. Ross, H. J. Tanored, J. IS. Brown, and W. White, jun. A letter was read from tho Selwyn County Council, calling attention to a nuisance existing at Shirley in the premises of Mr Sherlock, caused by a piggery. The matter was referred to the chairman, with power to act. A letter was read from the Government, stating that the resolutions with reference to the licensing of dairies and reporting infectious diseases would receive the attention of the Government. Mr Brown said ho thought the Board should take some steps to prevent the adulteration of milk, while at tho same time he did not wish to press hardly upon the dairymen with fines, &o. He found that in the State of lowa this was done, and the householders now used the lactometer, which at once showed if the milk were adulterated or any imparities. Mr 'inhered said that what they wanted to _. 'Ko was ta'prevent the spread of typhoid fever through the milk. Tho lactometer would not give them this. It would not detect disease. The danger was, that if a bad drain existed, the subtle poison of typhus got into tho milk,

and would exist there, despite the milk passing the test of the lactometer. Mr Brown would like to see the lactometer used by householders, as it was very small iq coot.

A letter was read from Dr . Deamer, stating, with reference to the cose of typhoid fever reported as having occured in the household of E. J. Gay, Sydenham, that he had written and posted the notice required on one of the cards supplied by the Board some weeks before the death of the boy referred to. It was resolved to express the regret of the Board that the oversight had occurred. A letter was road from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board respecting the case of J. W. Wilkinson, pointing out that the death had been caused by membraneous croup, and not diphtheria. Mr Brown said that medical men differed. A case of diphtheria had been sent to the Hospital, and the surgeon of the week reported upon it as tonsilitis. He thought that their medical officer, while very zealous, might yet work more in occord with the medical authorities of other bodies. Their time was taken up in reading reports of the medical officer, and the replies called forth by them. The proper way would be for their medical officer to tako a little trouble to ascertain the facta before taking information in the street. Tho Chairman said that this was not founded on information in the street, but in a letter sent by Mr Wilkinson himself. Mr Brown said he was sick of the continual stirring up of these feuds by those report!, when the medical officer might work more in accord with the officers of other local bodies. A letter was road from Dr Anderson, calling attention to the negligence of the parents in a case of scarlatina in attending divine service, thereby risking the communication of infection to the congregation, and also for allowing the child who had been ill visiting the neighbors. Hu suggested that the medical officer of health should bo communicated with, and asked to warn the parents. It was resolved to thank Dr Anderson for his warning, A letter was read from Mr Plunkett, calling attention to tho existence of a section covered with water on Oxford terrace which had caused illness and was likely to remain stagnant for months. It was resolved to refer the matter to [the City Council as being in charge of health matters in the city. Tho Board then at. 4.30 p m. adjourned.