The Manawatu Daily Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, MAY 10, 1886. TYPHOID.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1704, 10 May 1886, Page 2

The Manawatu Daily Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, MAY 10, 1886. TYPHOID.

Wellington is now suffering m health and reputation from its laxity m sanitary matters. The residents and authorities have been indifferent m the matter of drainage, sewerage, &c, and now it is admitted that typhoid is very prevalent — and if prevalent m the winter season, what may be expected m the summer? The medical faculty, scarcely without exception, attribute the epidemic to bad drainage, inefficient ventilation, and similar causes. , One doctor states he has six patients, all of recent occurrence, and all r within a stone's throw of each other. In one house there were three persons attacked by the fever, and the other ' cases are m close proximity. Asked, "To what cause do you aittribute the disease ?" Dr Kemp replied, " Utter want of proper sanitary precautions. He deprecated the night-cart system. Another medical man states that typhoid fever exists m the city to a greater or less extent all the year round. Another, Dr Collins, affirmed distinctly that typhoid fever is very prevalent m the city. Dr "Hutchinson attributed much of the fever to the system of removing nightsoil, which he described as a beastly, filthy, and disgusting system, and to the insanitary condition of the city. He spoke very; strongly of the want of proper sanitary measures, and strongly advocated the adoption of the earth closet system. Not only does Dr Hutchison attribute typhoid fever to the night-carts, but also the prevalence of diphtheria which is to be found m Wellington all the year round. Indeed, nearly all the diphtheria which, he says, is constantly carrying off our children, without anyone laying it to heart, is to foe attributed to the removal of faecal matter by night-carts. "While we take all precautions to prevent smallpox and cholera being introduced, from abroad,' 1 says the doctor, " we sit calmly by and see our citizens crrried off by fevers caused through our own neglect. More harm is done by diphtheria m Wellington than would be done by cholera if it "were introduced." Dr Rawson said m some localities typhoid was worse than m others. For instance, about the middle of Dixon-street he knew of seven eases which had occurred all within a radius of 100 yards. The cause of the prevalence might be set down to the long dry summer and the insanitary state of the city. The system of open closets and the moans of removing the faecal matter were dangerous and abominable, and he did not see how we could expect much improvement m the health of the city while open closets were m vogue. Dr Tbi?e said he had heard that tyhoid was prevalent, and attributed it to the soil being sodden with putrid matter, and the met weather bringing out the malar,s«us gases. The danger was intensified by the defective sanitary asneasures of the city. The opeii closets and the removal of their contents by nightcarts were sources of danger. Dr Mahon stated that typhoid is prevalent* and that it is widely distributed. He attributed the disease to the hot dry summer and antumn ; to the bad drainage of the city; to the bad system of closets, and the method of removing their contents. He stated that the fever is on the decrease. Such (says the Wellington paper from which we hare quoted) is the substance of the investigation made. In every instance the medical practitioners interviewed with abhorrence the night cart system, as the pestiferous gases permeated the whole atmosphere, and persons were liable to inhale the germs of disease at a time when they were more suscep-

other period of the 24 hours Whatever may be the cost, it is the universal opinion of the Wellington medical men that better drainage and better sanitary inspection, and a different system of disposing jf nightsoil, are imperatively necessary if the health of the city is to be improved. In the Borough of Palmerston we. have had a wonderful immunity from typhoid and ot..er similar outbreaks of epidemic brendemic diseases ; but we gravely apprehend that such cannot reasonably long be expected to continue. In the absence of a water supply, and without a proper drainage and sewerage system, the sanitary condition of the place, even under the most favorable conditions, as population continues to increase, must be such that great care must be taken to avoid the outbreak of those diseases which neglect of sanitary laws invariably bring about. In how many places within the Borough must the soil be impregnated with filth through unsufficient drainage, the contiguity of cesspools, and inexcusable neglect m other directions. We would like to know what proportion of the dwellings m the Borough the nightman never visit ? Or m how many cases the plots of ground adjacent to dwellings are converted into nightsoil depots, thus defiling more or less the adjacent wells from which chiefly the supply for domestic use is taken. It is dreadful to think of the possible and ultimately inevitable consequences of such gross neglect of sanitary laws. Napier and other towns have suffered a terrible retribution for similar sins of omission and commission. We may expect that our population, m the ordinary course of things, will largely and rapidly increase during the next few years. In snch case, and without alteration m existing conditions, nothing else can be expected but increased and increasing mortality. The Wellington City Conncil is now awakening to a tardy sense of duty m this respect, and is beginning to realize the danger of apathy, neglect, or procrastination m such matters ; and our Borough Council should make a move m a similar direction before it may be too late to avert dire consequences ensuing, as the result of shutting their eyes to what is only too palpably apparent.

Writes a Wellington paper, when commenting upon the official report of the City Council sanitary inspector : — "It is monstrous that people should be allowed to sow thu seeds of disease broadcast, by burying their sewage just below the surface of the ground m small gardens, or that the dangerous aud filthy cesspit system should still be tolerated when its perils are so wellknown. These barbarisms are worse even than the disgusting method of removing nightsoil which is officially sanctioned, and by means of which all sorts of horrible and pestiferous emanations are circulated as widely as possible. It is high time that a by law should be passed, and strictly enforced, compelling all persons to have their sewage removed at short intervals, either by the use of water or by nightcarts, instead of burying it or draining it into cesspits."

So far as the results of the census are known the figures show a very large increase m population m the industrial centres of the North Island as compared with those m the South Island, where the population is found m most cases to be either stationary, or on the decrease. It is said that by a new Representation i Bill the North should receive at least | eight more members, while six should < be taken from the South ; that is, it the present basis of representation 'in proportion to population should continue, viz : one member to every 5400 of the population. The Auckland Herald's correspondent has made inquiries as to the intention of the Government, but was informed that the matter had not yet been considered, and nothing could be done until the figures were before the Cabinet.

What varied feelings must not Her Majesty have had(writea a contributor m an exchange) when she' stood m the Albert Hall and opened the Indian and Colonial Exhibition. 1851 and 1886, What changes have there Dot been m those 35 veers?, Countries as large as England herself have been added to the Crown ; millions of additional subjects acknowledged her sway, a beloved husband gone, years ot strife and struggle toil and trouble, and now here m. 1886, not half-a-tnile away trotn the scene of 1851, stood Albert's sod continuing Alberts good work. There is a touch of humau nature which makes the whole world kin, and it was, I'll warrant, that one reference to the long lost, but always loved, husbaud, which was tb,e most touching and successful " point" m Her Majesty's speech.

Mr Ballance intends to introduce a Bill during the coming session of Parliament, the title of which is the Civil Police Bill. It will consolidate all the existing Acts relating toithe police. Mr Ballance is now arranging for the civil Dolice to take charge of the native districts throughout the colony, instead of the field force as at present. - In doing so, considerable reductions have to be made m the A.C. force, 'but instead of dismissing the men, the option is giving them of -joining the civil pJice. Some time will necessarily- elapse before .this arrangement can be carried out, but when it is complete the Government intend to place the whole of tne civil police under the charge of the Justice department.

The.out-goiDg Committee of .the Totara (Otago) School concluded its annual report as follows :— Unfortunately for the country and parents themselves, parents do not sufficiently educate their children by proper example m their own life and conduct ; and where a parent does not act as ho should do at home, his actions and words are copied by bis children around him. Hence th« necessity for proper supervision of the playground, that bad tricks and conduct should be kindly and firmly repressed ; for, if this ia not done, the Act that compels all children to meet at the public school, where a mixture of nil takes place, if the evil habits aud propensities are not taken note of and kept down, the natural tendency to evil will show itself to an alarming extent ia the rising generation.