OUR SANITARY LAWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10971, 27 January 1899, Page 3

OUR SANITARY LAWS

DR. SCOTT'S REMARKS ON THE CENTRAL BOARD OF HEALTH. Tub president of tho New Zealand branch ■ of the British Medical Association (Dr. Scott) dealt with that most important subject, our sanitary laws, in tho inaugural address which he delivered at tho annual meeting of the branch, hold in Auckland a. few weeks ago. His remarks were commented upon in several papers in tlio South, as well as in the North Island, and from the tenor of somo of the statements it was evident that his contention with regard to the Central Board of Health had been misinterpreted. Wishing to gain somo information on this point, a Herald reporter wailed on Dr. Scott a few days ago. Dr. Scott said yes, he did find that in certain quarters a misapprenhension had arisen as to his contention with regard to the Central Board of Health. Some of the papers appeared to think ho was advocating Ihe creation of a central Ixiard, but what ho intended to show was that tho Board which had been in existence since 1876 had not carried out its most important functions, one of which was the collation of general statistics of the health of the colony, which should be derived from the districts of the local boards, for unless the Central Board of Health wore in touch and in full correspondence with tho local boards it would be unable to perform that for which it was established, namely, to superintend tho execution of all the sanitary provisions of the Public Health Act of 1876.

Dr. Scott wont on to give one or two local instances to show the importance of having local drainage or water schemes supervised by tho Central Board of Health, as is the case in England. Ho mentioned tiio promised Parncll drainage scheme, and asked, Was it a matter of interest only to the Parnell residents, or was it not of interest also to (lie city of Auckland that Parndl should not bo a centre of liltli diseases, from which Auckland could be invaded, and which, in fact, might he a menace to the whole colony? If we accepted that position, then we would have to admit- that Parried, in formulating a drainage scheme for its own convenience, might or might not carry it out in such a manner as to free the city from danger. It might be carried oi'J in such a way as to free the borough from all reasonable dauger, but not free the city. The city, then, was interested in Parnoll drainage. Not only the oily, but the whole community was interested ill the prevention of the " production" of infectious diseases, as it was in the prevention of tho "introduction" by quarantine, because the disease might overflow from one particular locality. Dr. Scott contended that his scheme would cause any proposition of the Parnell borough with regard to drainage to lw considered from a colonial standpoint by the Central Board of Health—which, would comprise the test authorities attainable— order to ascertain whether such proposition would efficiently protect the health of the' community at large, and not only whether it would secure the borough alono immunity from danger.

The question of Auckland's water supply was next cited, and Dr. Scott mentioned that at the meeting of the association Dr. I al.l'.vin had pointed out a most important thing, namely, a possible intimate connection between the water supply and tho inoiclMvO of typhoid fever in a (.Uriel. The ratio of typhoid patients at the District Hospital ltr.fi. it was demonstrated, begun to rise just two years after lie introduction of the water from the Western Springs. While admitting that the provision of an efficient and pure water supply for Auckland was of local importance, Dr. Scott also contended it was of colonial imjHirlance, for reasons abive staled, and therefore the Central Hoard of Health should approve of any water supply schemo prior to its being curried out.