PUBLIC HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12615, 18 November 1911, Page 2

PUBLIC HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT

ENTERIC AMONGST THIS MAORIS

DISCUSSED BY gOS^ITAL BOARD

• Ai*i hn^ortaiit discussion respecting the supervision of public health matters in the district ensued at last evening's meeting of the Cook Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, consequent upon the receipt of the following- letter from Dr Valintine, IhspectoivGeneral of Hospitals, " "who wrote as follows from .Gisborne :

I; I, .beg ito coll .(.he 'to'tehtioiv of your Board' to a : matte*-', ttf "gi-"eab importance bs regards |:*tlt« jTAttVic health of . this .district. A perusal V>( the- hospital register disclosed the fact Ai hat | trom Novenilier Ist, 1910, , to c'nte no less than 92 cases of enteric fever have been admitted ito- tho hospital. In other .words,. 16 pel* teht; 'of the total ciWes. admitted a^o-. .thto. Vi. Jehterio fever. Of "these 92 cases n'dmiH.'c-'d hihe died, feix deaths bwuig a'miori* th'e .' M'iioV-i patients. Of tho total, casej <yf enleriQ a'dnvitted .49 weiv nthnitted • ttcm\ t"fto country district's and 43 •from Gisbq-Mfe; -but there is no doubt that; a N'gc ■n-i.-taibei- ot casies admitted front ■ the i»(Ho.ugh..;e«mo from the* country., fot tteatment. Of the total number of cas^ti.X*3iS)i 1 49, i or. inoi-e. tkan. half, ...we're NativeSv T\Vese,j facts, lead ine to believe that it. W>ge number .tg't-. cufJes* of *l.yplioid \are Vniw^'orted, and it is therpforo K «l jtho utmost ihiportkiice., that immediate meas-, 'itres b© -l_ken to- discover to -what extent -this please exists in the district and to .act -ncp>rdingly. ( -I -'.'Alight mention, that . enquiries ,s\t J:hD,,Drivqte.'ho'»pitak*=,reveeled , »'the- fact that- 2p typhoid cases .ha&heeni treatisd ?;in^t*tiesei..institue. tioiis during the same periq^t^l^tlwrefq-je pi;o, pose to. despatch. a. registered nurse ; \Vho libs {\ ad ;. SDeCial , e™eraenq^v\»fc*&*tf Mk ■ «ttro"jta& v.the Isatiyes, to inake^.a, -^BteraHtitt ..inspect^h fctf t he- Native kiangas; ahdvtttliigS:„ places- j*n.th"e..'distnct and ,t6. r^att, t^Wou*-.||«ar*d n^Kthe .re-fcpor-vsibler author ity . , .tftij t>'e,partment. Thej appoi*ntn*i-eht of An.;ih'spe.ctor, to .visit the infected places ah*d. tousee. that -.the»'ußual r precautions ore being observed ;js. absolutely; necessary,; «n'd • I trust your ■ Board will take, steps to f appoint such; ani officer .forthwith^ Ah n*ratters^*standf th^e medical -superintendent .ql your, .'hospital -has', no '-certatii kriowledge as to th%- k localities*; f roiiv. which* ' typhoid : - patiente ;coipe who,are ndniitted t tp.the hospital, nor, has ;thafc officer any reason to believe that in' th^ (country districts precautions are being taken ito. prevent the .spread of, disease. < .The appointment of .'an -i'n^p^tidr ' will "enable tU» ( medicat>.- superihtdifdeht,, arid , the" Department to.toke jsuch irfeasiircßjVas .may be, considered ;necessary. Nurse Bagley, nnd a Mao?iY,nrfxg-j ' as ber. as«istant,.c will arrive here n ex t WediHesday. and begin w<->rkainUie district fortbj With. / „...■. „ ;' . fr >|3ie Chairman said the nurse had, arrived and gone to Te Karaka. . She {'would be subsidised by the 'Govfe^rtnient. j'Dr Valentine 1 ur^ed'^he appointment : a sanitary. insp^ctoii;.io;. look -otter: Che infectious^ cas^s .ib anlrl' "Borough. Tlie ealaty: would be-. £200 a year- and , ti»v!e)_ihg^' "He^thought- -they had : no opt"orilb"ot> ito. comply; The'WAr- 1 ■kohu County in^p'eetOr Jla&Vesigrte<i and they had;; con^uhica*fed|i'with^ tlie. -Cook , ®?mW * CotfflS asKng i^>lieyj Wot|W '"s@2k^ Jj^r.^ iPsfi^J^ fWi-W ; district. He a ino-yaaf that :Dr yaliritiilS4> Wdommendations loe 'attended t<v-;a}N"l Afaifo "aij -dVertisement be called..for the; p^Mto/^a -sanitary ,inv Bpectoiv, for th^dirfttM^ih-tei^' of;'tTie Insjiector^Ge'neralfa eShd&tof)!*.'^ ' • ,;i " -V-l L ty Q&iSfte Dr yarrntnie,,.ijitehded ,tp fc coiifer with tlie Board respecting infectiOtis cases.' . The Chairman, said that was not my . Dr. Collins said it' was a question winch, required more attention .^han ; ,tlie mere appointment * of, ;a inspector ' iii terms of 'tlie *, refoAmendatibh of »- de-' pai*trnental.;officer: (Hav qUeStJioiieid*'wlie*ther the .Board, shofold not. , «lt'ok 'into its* posStion as a local authority in terms of the Act. Were, they to. override the Borouch CounctTs ; ii)specjip*¥[? V ■■.&'{' "■" - W ■ £■ Cv Dai'toh said' he presumed the In-; spector .in question wou^d. have t .i>pihinE, tp • doi.with"**^e?t*f^j^ttflr. of'iiuftaSiSfesybf the. Boitougir&(i_id: r tlie GSiuiiffy, '■b'ul^voUld supervise the control of • "inTSfctious diseases. „ . (,; > ■;-.i. -, :/,;_'-."r £h$ f Chairman said, the ' Board had power to make the Sanitary, .Jn.speotor. the Inspector of Nuisances, but • they would ■ not •" interfere with ' the "Inspector' of Nuisances ; iri '.''• tlie ' Borough'.' They cOn'ld not make the change Withdut ""the consent of the.ilocal bodiesi: A, ..;'■'''■'.■

...Mr .Lysnar. asked . whether the Chairman, i. was j.going,»,to;v ihai^tliis* •'•• appbihtment in the face* of the:; fact, that mittee conf erence 6^ t**^. logal autliorities coiiderned li^d . f q_ljourne#3ie.' question pending- a conference wiiK-TDr. Valintiiie's report? . ..: • ; -:

The Chairman said it was necessaty that something should be done and that the appointment should he made. ', At t,h -i s 4age; -Mr, Darton. seconded the Chairman's motion^ pro forma. 77 -The, Chairman said that; Dr Valintine had- informed; him tliat". this was tho only district in which 1 this course hadiiot been adopted. ' 'Mr Lysnar remarked that hitherto tlie Board^had . been called together to discuss matters with Dr Valintine wheti hevisited, the .district, . hut this time: they' nad>. bei3.ll ignored!. .0 ■>. - ; . . Dr Collins mowed, that a-committee be appointed 7 to epquire^as to the- requirements of the la,w, and to,, consider pr Valintine'a letter and ie_Jo'rt."as to what AVafl required., " .-»• " '".'",. WA^sn&r said' H^;aWeed with' the amendment., . The Cook County . Council, he said, -had' an'^nspectof _t preseiit*' who, did the*, work very -well: •' ThV only trouble, however,* Was wMi tlie'Maori's, who, ■■.•when". they had sickness^ called'in a "quack- ■ ahd> there were" one or 'two in the district, and when 1 the ** paitient 9 le d; s tyj*pid --was, spread all thrbugh Jthe P*: c-wdothe. Bpardv;he asked^ want to 4j»poisti ana inspector nvrjip*- would • over&3£a.ftS d «ias h i v.^ith the Borough and County „ inspectors The Board should not rush into any , appointment without knowing ita'pctsitiort.^. . ** .** " "'' .' """-i- --; Mr. Le*wis' sygg&ted, tlio^Board should; appoint »'.; medijjal officer. It wo*qld be far cheapef ifoV M^Wo ; : . ebuhttes; to amalgamate --hd^'itocfifit', ' a i'piedioal health officer,, Dr .Williitnia ' •heihg.Vtl.e •^cer/ iii;,town:'X They 'Bid* vno^Waht" a,' saiii'ta;ryrinspßctc_,, f ;<the*f, ''-a*' thoroughly, ..qualified: mail.: - Th_u.ti„ble "ftp. th^- , ? T¥^e .'pwsirig ",t|ie> sifcknesS'pn.to;;!^ / tfni • ' S ; The; chairmaii. gaAd^at; w'as": ildggested^ by Di* Valintine tl^ Intendent sltMd Be -tjljie .^e^Qir-offioer to advise ' the_ sa-nitary. 'iriLSjiectbr, -vrho, ' it' was proposed; Hv-ould be^iuUy qualified.' 1 T>r Collins*.: *s_id'. th_t» r a /public ' health officer; would 1 have to"' be -appotrnted * by th*a' Government.* The' medical superin^ tendent would act. aa adviser ; to the In* fectious *; Diseases* 'Board. '*'■': ■'■• ; ■■' ". ■ Mr Datro'n Opposed the amendment. A re_ hemng.'haa been 'drawn across* the scent respecting -sanitary' laws' 'of ''other local authorities'' with' whjclt 'the'fpropo^ec*,.officer wi^ld .^haye npthinjj ;to < Ado 'ni^- Board had decided. rtojtake over the; control .oi .7 inf gctigHs^r disuses; and . that being" so they _hould .gefca^i-operly qualified -maHv/'There-waa^ho need- fc.*c;,delriy." The local ''bodies'" would'' be quite glad tto get-; ric^-Mr the'' icontrSl; ' bf '* i|lfe£tlous di*-'-' seasesC'hy 'the ap^in'ti^enf of a'r'qualified maii:''' '•'""•*•■ ■'•■:-."''> aa..- >.. ..)... •-,-..- ,->..-

The Hon. Capt. Tucker said, he 1 did not .know, if tlierq ywa& any. riii^ieijl.in^iV •iii! thei covhtfy^fit Ji.wQuldi bav aii.great consideration , to, V-haye tone Jfo&the .two. Counties. Probably the two counties would >jpin in a. scheme: and instead , of i_ "__*■]_,'*-'.' ■'■' -"- '''-A. T f '.'r*i -.'<_»' ... .L-.T TV i ' apjpqintirie;-.. a. sanitary ( . thev mr^ht jßv lible,, to iridjice a r ' mV-^jcai nian to take' uf> This' restde'rice oii*"tJn'e 'confines of tlie two .counties; to take, up itliese duties and liberate him for- private pra'pf tice a portion ;.of "his time*. Vile , was not- however/ saying-*- 1 anything "<against the appointment of a sanitary inspector as; a fij-st Jf"^. see; rip j-reaspn' whv they '.should not look' tfurtljer into, : iti." ;. A^AIA' yAA:AI". 'A- "■' A' AJ: Mr Lysnar said lie'' understood the maii* who had the job .was an Orderly : • of Porirun Asylum. '"*'■' '; *''-•■' j- ■■-•* '; -' v- The chairman said 'it ''was very necessary they should ' take, action, as • the Maoris were dying freely. ' '■; .Mr Lewie said he; had conversed with Dr Wi Repa that -;day_ arid had ascertained from him ■that* he thought; ,he could work .jn the, -position y'of- health officer for tlie, two counties for -.'suitable, remuneration. j H* ti thoiig , ht if thex-cpuld g^ a'-.irian Jjk.e ,'__)> WMa iljs'te^d^of a pafi'ithry in's'pCCtor, .$. would' be ty gopd.thing. The natiVes Avere dj'iiig' two;. aiid three every week, and it was' all : dua to ieyev. ) ..-,.- ■ • .*.-' --. . •;*:.•.•„ -vv ' : The chairman said Dr Valintine had informed .him that the general' 'way. -of jdealing with.Ytlfß ljlatter Outsid-e was to havo a ■■sanitary inspector*. \" j -Mr Lewis i-emark'e^ -a ' saiiitary' iii!sp'b6toi' Avould not Icho'w what -cases of (sickness' Were, and it was 6rily wasted iinbiiey. ■•'-. .- -. '•'*';' . . •-■*'• ■.:■"■• v y. i ""The - chairman Temarked that this injspector would. .*••'■■ ■•■* : -Dr Collins said tliat if Dr Wi Repa ; was appointed a public health officer he! would be* a Government officer,, and they j would still have to have one '"inspector- "to I do tlio ; inspection. Ho suggested they j

should apjioillt tiiß medical s^erlilmident adviser to the Board in ini'ectipus cases and the appointment of a sanitary inspector, and it necessary apply to the Government for tlie appointment' of a health officer.

Dr Collins' amendment to appoint a committee to enquire into the wpole matter and report was carried by ,? 'to. 2. It was agreed to have a committee of the whole Board, and to meet next Thursday afternoon .