INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13335, 11 July 1907, Page 6

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

DUTY OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

At- the meeting of the Waimate Borough Council on Tuesday <"> ening forma! 1.0ticcs were received from Dr Cruickshank and Dr Hayes, each notifying a case. of scarlatina in the. i (trough. Councillor O'CalLtguan said h* v otdd like to know w/iether the oiity rf thr.. Council and the medical jVradiuners ceased when these notices were sent in.

The Mayor said a gentleman was pi esent wlio would enlighten the Council on tliis matter.

Mr Mackenzie, the gentleman to, said that in all caucs of infectious' diseases th? inspector should be notified, and the cases should be isolated at once. In Christchurch tlie health officer required all such cases, which could not be readily isolated, to bi sent- to the hospital, whether .the relatives liked it or not. Councillor Twemlow said scarlatina .v;ts a fever of such a slight nature that, many children had it without it being known, and therefore it could notj be reported. Mr Mackenzie said that although not able to cope with the disease altogether, a great deal could be done to arrest the spread of it if the cases were reported. 'ln reply to the Mayor, Mr Mackenzie said the inspect orG in Christ church worked under the direction of Dr Finch. Councillor Coltman said they were v*rjr much in ths handy of. the meaical ni/ii in this matter. Tlisir inspector might bs a very good poundkecpfr, but he was certainly' not qualified to go into a houseand instruct people as to the methods to be adopted to arrest the spread of disease. , Councillor Dash thought the liability of the Council did not cease with the receipt of the medical notifications. If inspectors were able to cope with isuch cases in other places, the inspector here should bs able to do the same. ; Councillor Inkster moved, Councillor Dash seconded, and it was carried : " That the whole question of sanitary inspection be handed over to the Sanitary Committee, with power to act."