THE DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 169, 18 July 1908, Page 8

THE DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK.

iMIM AGE ADVOCATED

In connection with this matter, the Sanitary Inspector;" in conjunction with Dr. Hodman, health ofccer; reported to tho Borough Council last ' night that the localities whence, the diphtheria cases were reported ■ had been visited, N and they were of the opinion , that- the chief causo of the outbreak (.which, fortunately, so far, was of a very slight nature) was due to stagnant water, smd aggravated in most 1 instances by the recent rainfall. ,Tho worst locality1 which required immediate attention was the open drain taking the surface water from the tap in High Street and Beaver Road, and running between the sections of High Street, and- Alfred Street. Part of the drain was already laid in pipes, and if continued the iull extent of the present open drain and covered yin, it would allow of the owners of the < different sections in the vicinity fill- . ing in and levelling up their sections, thus preventing a recurrence of stagnant .w«ter being left every time the Taylor lliver was in Mood. The Sani-

tary Committee had conferred with Dr. Redman, and lie was strongly of '_ opinion .that something should be done to/ abate the nuisance referred tOj which was a' menace to public health. He also strongly advocated the adoption, by the of some satisfactory system of "drainage in the/ Borough.. ' , i , A report was also received from the' ; Mayor in regard to' the diphtheria • cases, stating that a meeting had been held between Councillors McKinley, Pafcchett, Birch, and himself. Dr. Redman hajl said, that there were only four cases reported.to him, and that they were of a mild nature. He had said that'no dciibt.the origin of "the disease was^ caused through insufficient " drainage. * There was 'a possibility ,thut -surface drainage might be ' a« 7much more serious mat- ' ter than was/generally thought, as There ,w;is a .possibility that'the putrid liquid percolated' down to the bottom 4 of the artesian wells', and contaminating jLh© household .supply. • He . pointed out that,although tho danger of diphtheria had' been greatly re- - iuced ■ by' the -u^-to-d&tjj" "remedy -ofl ■ asrti-toxin, still it was '.tile .duty pf thd Council to do all in -their power to preserve 'health. ' The' Doctor, 'also explained dogs t cats, 'and possibly fowls', contracted the disease, and from them it could be conveyed to persons, He also suggested that the Council should employ »n engineer to report on the possibility of inaugurating' a scheme that \ would secure proper' ancl systematic drainage. -The town was "becoming more congested as time went on, and this , necessity/would be more, and more "felt and would have-',toV.be faced sooner or later. He^.kvas asked if • poor or starved cows'>3pni-jwhicn the town drew its supply,jsf in'ilk was a , source of these"' epiaerdics.' He, did~ not say that diphtheria was caused .by bad milk, but weak cattle were .more liable 4o disease, and therefore it was not safe to use'the' milk there;from. I v ' ,' i [These reports were not dealt with1 v by the Council,- but his Worship gave ■the necessary, permission to publish.]