THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY). THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1886.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7775, 6 May 1886, Page 2

THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY).

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1886.

With which are incorporated the Wellington Independent, established 1845, and the New Zealander.

Once more the demand for sanitary reform in this city is met with the parrot-cry of weakness and ignorance, “ Don’t create a ‘ scare whatever you do don’t alarm the public; kill them if you like, or let them die through theif unconsciousness of danger and through the failure of their civic rulers to adopt the requisite sanitary measures, but pray don’t frighten them!” Those Wellington citizens who are now lamenting recent bereavements through the ravages of typhoid fever, or who themselves have been sufferers from that disease—which, if it do not kill, too often leaves behind deplorable physical consequences—will scarcely appreciate this sort of sentimental anxiety lest they should be frightened by being told the truth. Still less will it be valued by those who are daily and nightly exposed to danger of infection through the present insanitary system, and who would be left, unwarned, to a fate from which a timely warning might save them, ft is childish to pretend that people should be allowed to run blindfold into peril because a friendly caution might startle them, As well might it be argued that doctors should rather let a patient perish than apply remedies which from their nature would alarm the patient by enlightening him as to the serious character of his complaint. The absurdity of such a view is self evident, W® flre n°t prepared to see the present state of things continue, and to aJh?v the pjigehief to spread without raising a note of warning. One of our local contemr poraries does not content itself with feeble deprecation of a “ scare,” but is good enough to contradict statements which we did not make, and to adduce what it strangely regards as evidence paring the alleged danger to be quite imaginary. With an extraordinary lack of perception as to the bearing of its own •“ evidence,’’ would be laughable were not the matter gp very serious, it says that " this evidence ” will “ to a great extent allay the alarm which has been raised,’’ and that it goes to prove “ Wellington is not in the t,crr'hly dangerous condition represented }f .fccprding to the statements published, Dr Pahfll not long since ■“ had a large number of typhoid patientsDr I£emp “ had six cases among hi* patients, all of recent occurrence, and ad jyithin a stone’s throw of one another/’ J)v Cole stated that the disease “ was spread all over the city, chiefly, however, in the Te Aro district Dr Henry said, “ there was and had been a good deal of it {typhoid fever] in the city ’’; Dr Gillen “ had heard #f a good many , cases of typhoid fever in the pity ”; j Dr .Collins “answered with an unqualified afljirmative the question, Is typhoid foyer y.ery prevalent?’ It was spread all ever the city, but principally in Te Dr B.awson “ knew of .seven cases which had occurred all within a radius of 1 00 yards"; Dr Trips “ jbad heard that typhoid was prevalent, and attributed it to tka soil being sodden with putrid matter, and the w,et weather bringing out-the malarious gaaes”; Dr Mskon reported typhoid is prevalent, and is widely distributed." is the sort of ''evidence ’’ which our extemporary offers in proof of its rash assertfe? -U*®* “ Wellington is not in the terribly dangerous condition represented.” It will puzzle most people to discern how the evidence proves anything of the kind- People generally will think that, on the contrary, its tendency is diametrically in the opposite direction.. We can only suppose that our contemporary’s remarks were made in ignorance of the nature of the evidence it published. Another point to which we desire

to call special attention is this : All the medical opinions quoted are entirely in support of the ground taken in our article. After mentioning that typhoid fever was seriously prevalent, we said;—“ While we deprecate any irrational panic on this subject, we feel bound to urge very strongly the imperative necessity _of initiating, without loss of time, certain essential measures of sanitary reformand we added that typhoid fever was “not at all mysterious in its mode of operation,” but that it was invariably and exclusively traceable to neglect of sanitary rules.” In this relation we especially condemned the failure to dram and cleanse the city, and the present “ clumsy, dirty, and offensive method by which the most dangerous class of our refuse is removed.” What do the Wellington doctors say on these heads? They fully and unreservedly support our views. Doctors Cahill and Robertson attribute the prevalence of typhoid fever mainly to “ bad drainage,” Dr Kemp to “ utter want of proper sanitary precautions,” Dr Henry to 11 bad drainage and defective sanitary precautions generally,” Dr Gtillon to “ an absolute absence of any proper system of drainage and a lack of sanitary inspection,” Dr Collins to “ bad sanitary arrangements,” Doctors Hutchinson and Eawson to “the system of removing night-soil and to the insanitary condition of the city,” Dr Mahon to “ the bad drainage of the city, to the bad system of closets, and the method of removing their contents.” Further, Dr Kemp “deprecated the night-cart system,” while Dr Hutchinson characterised it as “ a beastly, filthy, and disgusting system.” All this testimony powerfully supports our contention, and its force is in no degree lessened by the fact that the prevalence of the disease is now happily diminishing through the beneficial action of the late heavy rains in partially performing for us the work of purification which we have neglected to do for ourselvea. The urgency of the need- for sanitary reform is not at all decreased. Our contemporary itsdlf admits that “ there is great need for better sanitary arrangements." We should, say so, indeed. The only hope, however, of bringing about any change for the better lies in an unflinching exposure of the serious consequences resulting from continued neglect and inaction, and in persistently upon the public mind the imperative neces- : aity of prompt, vigorous, and syste- ■ matic action in the right direction. Hitherto the most lamentable i incompetence and indecision have ; characterised every move the City Council has made in this matter. Thirteen years ago the Council commenced operations by offering a premium for “ wrinkles ” as one . Councillor expressed it, yet we are ’ still without any drainage system, although time enough has elapsed for the Councillors to obtain “ wrinkles ” of another kind, for which no premium was offered. Wellington has the natural capacity _ to be an exceptionally healthy city, and it is both deplorable and discreditable that it should be rendered otherwise through the apathy of its inhabitants and the neglect of its civic authorities. Surely it is high time that a new departure should be taken, and a wiser course followed.