BOARD OF HEALTH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7228, 30 April 1884, Page 6

BOARD OF HEALTH.

An ordinary meeting of the Board of Health was held yesterday afternoon, at the close of the Drainage Board meeting; present —Mr Vincent (Chairman), and Messrs Harper, Harman, Clephane, Parker, Ashworth, Hosking, and White. MEDICAL officer’s REPORT. The following was read : “ April 17, 1884. “ Sir, —As three cases of diphtheria were yesterday reported from three houses, widely separated from each other, in the district, and as, in each case, attendance at the Spreydon school seemed to be the cause of the outbreak, I visited the school, although it is situated outside of the boundary of the Board of Health, and advised that it should be closed at once. I was induced to take this step, as I ascertained during my visit that another case of the same disease, from-a fourth house, had been quite recently in attendance at the school. These being the only cases of diphtheria at the present in the western portion of the district, I considered it advisable to take prompt action, and I am glad to report that my advice has been followed and the school closed. The school, as I stated before, is situated beyond the jurisdiction of the Board, but very many of the children in attendance at it live in this district. The sanitary condition of the premises is not such as should obtain at a school. The cesspits should be abolished, and something should be done to prevent the Heathcote river flooding such a large proportion of the school grounds. The school itself should be thoroughly ventilated and afterwards disinfected.—l have, &c., “ Courtney Nedwill, Medical Officer.” The medical officer’s quarterly report also was read as follows : Christchurch, April, 1884. Sir, —I have the honour to report on the health of the district for the quarter ending March 31. The following are the numbers of the cases of infectious diseases which have been reported »to the Board for the three months: —

125 29 11 5 170 The mortality in Christchurch was per 1000 of the population monthly January, o’B7 ; February, 1-49; March, F3O. And for the same period of last year :■ — January, 2-28; February, 1-26 ,• March. 1-0. . The mortality in Sydenham was:— January, 0-65 ; February, 0-97; March, ITS; and for the corresponding three months of 1883 January, 1-GG; February, 1-88; March, 1-87. • The deaths registered in Christchurch during the quarter from the principal zymotic diseases wero Diphtheria 3, typhoid fever 2, diarrhoea 7 ; and for the corresponding months of 1883 :—Croup 1, typhoid fever 5, diarrhoea 11, dysentery 1. In Sydenham the mortality from zymotic diseases during the quarter was represented by 9 fatal cases of diarrhoea; while for the corresponding period of 1883 the following deaths were recorded : —Croup 1, whooping cough 2, typhoid fever 1, diarrhoea 10, dysentery 1.

Judged by the mortality statistics, the present quarter, both in Christchurch and Sydenham, compares very favourably with the corresponding period of 1883. I fear, however, that it would be quite fallacious to suppose that sanitary improvements are altogether to be credited with this result. The decrease in the death rate is doubtless chiefly to be attributed to the summer having been an exceedingly cold one. I have frequently directed attention to the insanitary surroundings which are usually found in connection with typhoid fever and diphtheria. As the causes which give rise to these preventible diseases can be easily removed, I think it will be instructive to publish all the cases which were reported during the quarter, and the conditions which, on my visit of inspection, I considered responsible for the sickness. The following list gives the numbers of

the eases, the nature of the disease, and the conditions under which they were o *Caao No. 1. Diphtheria—-Leakage from house drain. n 2. Diphtheria —No drainage, overflowing closet pan, dirty fowl yard. ;i. Diphtheria —Cesspit. 4. Diphtheria—No drainage; another case of the same disease in this house about six months ago. 5. Diphtheria—Contracted the disease while attending No. 1 case. 15. Diphtheria—lmported from outside the district. 7. Diphtheria—Cause not apparent. 8. Diphtheria— Cause not apparent. _ 0. Diphtheria—Blocked-up house dram, fowl yard not clean.' 10. 11. 12. Diphtheria—Blocked-up house drain. 13. Diphtheria—Accumulation of house refuse, dirty fowl yard, bad drainage. 14. Diphtheria—Deficient house drainage. , , , 15. Diphtheria —Fowl yard too near dwelling-house. . 16. 17, 18. Diphtheria—No house dram, no closet, no water supply. 19. Diphtheria —House drain leaks, fowl yard too near dwelling-house. 20. Diphtheria—Communicated from a person supposed to have a “ sore throat.” 21. Diphtheria—No apparent cause. 22. 23. Diphtheria—Blocked-up drain. 24, 25. Diphtheria—Fowl yard dirty and too near dwelling-house; refuse heap close to house.

26. Diphtheria Communicated from No. 20.

27. Diptheria—Fowl yard dirty, no house drain.

28.‘ Typhoid fever—Leakage from house sink under tho house.

29. Typhoid fever —Defective drainage. 80. Typhoid fever—Defective drainage at this place last year, when another case of the same disease was reported from this house.

31. Typhoid fover—Leakage from wooden house drain.

32. Typhoid fever—Drain under house, and probably blocked uj>. 38. Typhoid fever—Closet not clean, and too near dwelling-hoiise, accumulation of refuse.

34. Typhoid fever Bath-room and housemaid’s sink ventilate house drain, slops accumulated in hole, and allowed to soak into the ground. 35 and 36. Typhoid fever—No house drain.

■ 37. Typhoid fever—Slops festering in shallow drain un-’er bedroom window.

. 38. Typhoid fever—Premises dirty and wet.

39. Typhoid fever —Cause not apparent.

41) and 41. Typhoid fever—Closet pan had leaked badly and saturated the ground underneath. Two other persons contracted the disease at this house and went into the country. 42 and 43. Typhoid fever—Blocked-up house drain, filthy closet. 44. Typhoid fever—Ground underneath closet befouled from leakage. 45. Typhoid fever—Cesspit. 46. Typhoid fever—lmported from outside the district.

47. Typhoid fever —Cesspit, leaky house drain, accumulation of refuse. 48. Typhoid fever—No house drain. 49. Typhoid fever—Leaky closet pan, refuse allowed to accumulate.

50. Typhoid fever—Closet and fowl yard close to the dwelling-house, side-channel in front of house very foul. 51. Typhoid fever—Dirty closet, damp yard. 52. Typhoid fever—No drainage, cesspit. 53. Typhoid fever—No apparent cause, case of the same disease in this house six months ago. 54. Typhoid fever —Cause not apparent. 55. Typhoid fever —No house drain, side channel offensive.

56. Typhoid fever —Side-channel very offensive.

57. Typhoid fever —Cesspit. 58. Typhoid fever—Cesspit, blocked up house drain.

59. Typhoid fever—Cesspit, defective drainage. 60. Typhoid fever —Cause not apparent.

61. IFyphoid fever —No house drain, dirty yard, pase of same disease in this house last year. 62. Typhoid fever House drain unwrapped and ventilated into house, soakage under house from house drain.

63. Typhoid fever House on made ground, another case of the same disease in adjoining house last year. 64. Typhoid fevefr—Cesspit, accumulation of refuse.

65. Typhoid fever—Defective trapping on house drains.

66. Typhoid fever Broken up house drain, dirty fowl yard too near dwelling house.

67. Typhoid fever Eubhish heap at neighbouring premises. 68. Typhoid fever—House drainage permits of leakage into ground. 69. Typhoid fever—No closet accommodation.

70. Typhoid fever—lmported from outside the district.

71 and 72. Typhoid fever—No house drainage. 73. Typhoid fever—Cesspit. 74. Typhoid fever—Ground dqmp, leaky house drain, case of same disease in same house two years ago. 75. Typhoid fever—Leakage from house drain, accumulated refuse.

76, Typhoid fever—Ground underneath closet saturated with filth, blocked up house drain.

77. Typhoid fever—Cause not apparent. 78. Typhoid fever—Contamination of drinking water from soakage into tank, house drain and bathroom unventilated and untrapped. An analysis of the above list will make it quite clear that in this district diphtheria and typhoid fever might he kept under better control. CORRESPONDENCE. The following was read; — From the Spreydon School Committee, reporting that the sanitary arrangements recommended by the Board were being carried out. From M. Eadcliffe and others, calling attention to the filth, &c., deposited at Mr Clegg’s section, Dyer’s road. Notice had been given to Mr Clegg. Prom A. Anderson, calling attention to the practice of carting filth to and depositing it in pits at Wilson’s bridge. From J. Brightling, stating that he would take extra precaution, between now and the expiry of his contract at the end of June, by putting on extra men. The Board were satisfied to take Mr Brightling’s assurance, and instructed the Inspector to visit the place.

MEDICAL OFFICER. The consideration of Dr Nedwill’s letter, read at a former meeting, was postponed till the next meeting of the Board. ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of £52 Is 8d wore passed for payment. Mr White asked if anything could bo done abate the nuisance arising from the drainage sumps throughout the district. The matter was referred to the Drainage Board. This closed the business.

Cremation is to be tried in Prance, permission having boon given by the Prefect of Police, on the recommendation of Dr Brouardol, to burn tho remains of hospital .subjects, provided a satisfactory apparatus be constructed in one of the Paris cemeteries. Throe brothers named Flynn, while riding homo in a, hack at Hot Springs, Arkansas, a few weeks ago, were fired at by seven men from tho door of a saloon. One of tho Flynns and the driver of the hack were killed, and another of the Flynns and two bystanders were mortally wounded.

.2 'p o A 43 . $ I 1-1 43 r* 'ft ,2 p p g cj g 1 o 43 P E-i Chris tchurch .. 18 14 4 1 37 Sydenham .. 7 2 1 1 11 Avon ... .. 9 0 0 0 9 Heathcote .. 3 2 0 0 5 Eiccarton .. 1 4 0 0 5 Spreydon .. 1 0 0 0 1 St Albans .. 5 4 2 0 11 Linwood .. 7 1 0 2 10 Woolston .. 0 0 0 0 0 51 27 7 4 89 And according to the months they were distributed thus :— p # e3 CD 43 . W 01 > w O o O <3 Jis 43 'ft P ■ « P ® s t» o ® m P n cj 0> a January .. 6 13 2 0 February ... 21 1 4 1 March ... 24 13 1 3 51 27 7 4 The numbers reported for the corresponding quarter of 1883 were :— - p 41 53 -H t» M O <a o •S S 43 43 . wj 53 CO 0) 'I to "3 Christchurch P S £ 43 p (S > o o 02 P 43 O Eh ... 27 7 1 1 36 Sydenham ... 49 6 8 1 59 Avon ... ... 7 2 0 1 10 Heathcote ... 7 1 2 0 10 Eiccarton ... 15 1 4 0 20 Spreydon .. 1 6 0 1 8 St Albans ... 6 5 1 1 13 Linwood ... 10 1 0 0 11 Woolston ... 3 0 0 0 3 — — ■ —