BOARD OF HEALTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4245, 29 November 1881, Page 4

BOARD OF HEALTH.

An ordinary meeting of the Ohristchurch Local Board of Health was held at the conclusion of tho meeting of the Drainage Board; present — Messrs .Harman (Chaiman),Tanered, Brown, Cuff, Whito, Hobbs, and Blakiston. BEPOBTINO INFECTIOUS DISBASBS. The Chairman stated that advertisements \ had been inserted, and circulars sent to the different medical practitioners, drawing attention to the alteration in the law relating to reporting infectious diseases. ' MEDIOAIi OFMOBB'S BEPOBT. The following report of the Medical Officer was read : — " I have the honour to submit to you my report on the health of the district for the quarter ending Sept. 30. The following are tho numbers of householders who reported cases of infectious diseases for the threo months : — Typhoid fever, 43 ; diphtheria, 14 ; scarlet fever, 2 ; measles, 112, The cases have been distributed thus : —

" In the returns for Ohristchuroh ono case j of typhoid fever, one diphtheria, and one of measles wert admitted into the Hospital from beyond the district. "According to the months they were distributed as follows : — Typhoid Diph- Scarlet fovor. theria. {ever. Measles July 36 b , 2 62 Angu«t 7 2 — 47 September ... — 7 — 3 " The numbers reported for the correspond-' ing three months of 1880 were: — Typhoid fever, 16 ; diphtheria, 12 j scarlet fever, 14. ' " The mortality within the city was, per 1000 of the population, monthly : July, TSB ; August, rOS ; September, 1-84 ; and for the corresponding months of 1880 : July, 1*39 ; August, 1-19 ; September, 1-25. The mortality in Sydenham waß, per 1000 of the population, monthly : July, 118 ; August, 1*42 ; September, 224; and for tho corresponding quarter of 1880 : July, 1-80 j August, 1-54 ; September, 076. " On looking over the9o statistics, it will be observed that tho health of that part of the distriot included within Ohriatchureh and Sydenham, was scarcely so good during tho quarter, as it was for the corresponding period of 1880. In Ohristchuroh, this has been caused by an increase in tho deaths, which are classified under the orders of zymotio and developmental diseases, and in the deaths from violouce. Zymotic diaouses during tho quarter proved fatal in 13 oaseß as compared with 7 for the corresponding quarter of 1880. Under developmental diseases there wero no leaa than seven deaths registered from 'debility, 1 while all the other large New Zealand towns returned among them only four deaths from this cause. It would be peculiar to get in ono quarter of a year, in Christchurch alono, bo many deaths from uniform exhaustion of all tho organs of tho body without specific disease. If medical practitioners, however, woro a little more preoise in recording the primary causes of death in their certificates, and if registration and health districts could be brought within the earae bounds, vital statistics would give more reliable information. As but little trouble and expense would be entailed in making the registration area of the Christchurch distriob conterminous with the health dUtnct, I trust tho Board will again move tho Government in the matter. Deaths from violence during this quarter number five, or threo in excess of last yoar's corresponding quarter. Of the zymotic diseases, typhoid fever caused three deaths in Ohristchurch, all of which occurred in the month of July. I have so recently reported on the epidemic of this disease in connection with the dairy on the Lincoln Road, that I would now merely refer to it as being tho direct means whereby tho whole of Now Zealand has become possessed of a Public Health Act, which, if prc.porly worked, should prevent a repetition of such un occurrence. Towards the end of last quarter mouulcs, wbioh had been very prevalent in i tho southern parts of Now Zealand, began to J spread throughout tho district. This opidomic ; has been widely distributed, and although a j gre.it number of cases havo been reported, ; probably theyroprosoutoijlyusiuallproportiou j of thoso which have actually existed, measles I being conaidorod by many us a simple disease i not requiring notice It would, howovor, bo j something to congratulate Christrliurch and : Sjdonham on tbut they had pasßod through ' '] such a severo epidemic with tho loss of only •' threo and four lives respectively, but I fetir, in not a fow cafes, tho primary cuuao of death I has bten overlooked, uiul tho after conao- ) , quoncea registered. It is worth mentioning j that, children, who havo gono through epi- | domics of mensles, require luriisunl cure, tor . it has beon oboerved tkr.fc such outbreaks are

followed, for some time, by an increased late of mortality among children. Only fourteen householders reported cases of diphtheria during the quarter. ."No part of the district escaped from this disease ; fivo of the cases were in Chtistchurch, nnd of these two died. Smrlet fever ha's been almost absent from the district ; only two cases were reported, aa against eighteen for the June quarter, and these occurred in July. Deaths from this disease, however, have been registered for some months past, both in Auckland and Dunedin, and probably this district will not escape much longer. "The Board is to be congratulated on the amendments in the Public Health Act, which woro passed last session. Infectious diseases will now be more under control, for they will be better known, and purveyors of milk will now be obliged to carry on their trado uuder wholesome restrictions. But every case of infectious disease may be promptly reported, and inspection may secure milk from contamination by means of either water or disease germs, and yet the district may remain unhealthy. The whole district wants systematic inspection, and all inspectors should work under come definite plan that would ensure constant communication with the medical officer. If tho pan system is to be continued it should be improved, and the use of dry earth should be encouraged. Cesspits in many of the populous suburbs are still permitted to defile the ground and pollute the air, to the detriment of the public health. I have frequently directed attention to the absence of dustbins, and to the unhealthy practice of allowing decaying animal and vegetable refuse to accumulate in tho immediate neighbourhood of dwellings, but it appears without much success. Putrefying heaps of filth must still exist in many places in the distriot, for barely 450 householders in Ghristchurcli are visited by the dustman, and his services in the euburbs, I am informed, are confined to one house in Waltham. Mr Brightling contracts for removing refuse in Sydenbam, but only-one househsldor in the Borough, has retained him for regular visits, I aiid altogether the number ia under twelve that employ him occasionally. In the face of such neglect of common eanitary precautions it cannot be a matter of surprise that typhoid fever, dysentery, and diarrhoea, are prevalent diseases iv the district. The artesian water supply having in many pace« in Christchurch ceased to flow above the surface, some of the street channels are very offensive, although two water-carts are constantly employed in tryiDg to keep them clean. Let any one compare the present state of Durham street North and Gloucester street West with the Springfield road and Orescent road, Knightstown, where householders drain their slops into the sewers, and he will see the advantage of house connections. Clearly, if householders are not compelled to make use of the deep sewers which are now laid in almost all the streets north of the river, a freshwater Bupplr becomes a present necessity. Ab the district becomes more thickly populated, applications for the suppression of public nuisances will be constantly reourring. Offensive trades must necessarily be carried on, and local industries cannot be harrassed without prejudice to commerce. The Board should, therefore, strongly urge upon those interested the advisableness of conducting their operations in places not likely to become closely packed with human habitation*. " On Sept. 15 I reported to. the Board that I had visited the Asylum in consequence of the complaints which were made of the water which ran into the Lincoln road drain from the Asylum grounds, and found tha% although the water had an unpleasantly strong chalybeate smell, it was quite innocuous. The history of thi3 water is easily told : In sinking a catchpit for sewage at the Asylum a superficial spring was tapped, strongly impregnated with iron, and this, on coming to the surface, quickly became oxydised or rusted, and deposited a thick yellowish coating on the sides - and bottom of the drain. This water, although not fit for drinking purposes, is quite harmless, and does nob derive either its emell or colour from excreta. So much misapprehension, however, has' existed on this point, that I have gladly accepted the direction of the Board to have the water and deposit analysed, and I how enclose the reports of the examinations by Professors Bickorton and Hutton. "The following is Mr A. W. Bickerton's report on the examination of a deposit existing on a stone received from Dr Ned will, Oct. 27, 1881:— 'The stone on which this deposit existed was reported by Dr Ned will to have been taken from a drain on the Lincoln road, near tho Asylum, through which the water pusses that is' represented by tho analysis Wo. 623 made at this Laboratory, Sept. 5, 1881. The examination was made for the purpose of determining the nature of the sodiment, it having been reported that.«it J was due to oxcretal matter. The result, J however, of tho examination showed that it only consisted of peroxide of iron, a substance possessing perfectly harmless properties, j espocially under such circumstances as exist in the pre?ent case.' "The following was received from Professor F. W. Hutton on the same subject :— ' I have examined the deposit on tho stone you j gave me. I find that it consists of a mass of fine filamentous conferyoid alga, belonging to the family Oscillatoriecc, covered and embedded in a granular substance, which remained unchanged when exposed to a rod heat, and which therefore is certainly inorganic. The plant ia quite harmless, and may have been on the stone previous to its being covered with the mineral matter ; or, possibly, as it contains very little chlorophyll, it may have come up the well with ttie mineral matter. I could find no bacteria nor endogonidia of fungi.' " BETTTBN 05 BIHXH3 AN2> DEATHS. It was decided to request the Government to order a return to be furnished of all births and deaths within the area of the drainage districts, specifying the portion of the district in which euch occurred. STDENHASI SOAP "WOUKS. The Chairman stated that he had found it necessary to lay an information against Mr Hancock, for the nuisance arising from his soap and candle works, which had been much worße of late. | MADRAS SXBBBT 3EWBB. The following report from the Medical Officer on thin aewer was read :— " I have tho honour to report for your information that I have visited the mouth of tho Madras street storm- water sewer where it empties itaelf into the south side of the river Avon, and with referenoe to which complaints havo been made. There is a nuisance here which undoubtedly is injurious to health, and is caused, in the first place, by the aawago from numerous side-channels, both in Ohristchurch. and Sydenham, being washed into the river, and in the second place, by the water in the river backing up the sewage. I fear, however, that it will be found that the only effectual remedy will be to lay pipes for sewage with as little delay as possible, for the Board cannot well compel householders to retain their slop-water on their promises. Although no direct house connections are permitted with this storm-water sewer, it will be necessary to see that by ventilation and other means the nuisance be mitigated, if not altogether abolished. In nearly every street north of the river sewage pipes are now laid, and here there can be no excuae for breaking the eanitary commandment : ' Thou shalt not pollute rivers. 1 " COBBBSPONDBNCE. The following was read : — From the Colonial Seoretary, pointing out tho importance of uniformity of practice being followed as regards certain matters authorised by the amendment to the Public Health Act passed hit cession ; and asking if the Board would submit a rough draft of regulations as to the inspection of dairies. The Chairman statod that he had conferred with tho Medical Officer on the subject, and hud forwarded a copy of draft regulations, which were ao framed as to interfere as little as possible with tho dairymen, while conserving the internta of the public. A letter from the Registrar of the Canterbury College was read, enclosing a resolution of tho College Committee — "That the head master of the Both' High School, and the Lady Principal of Ihe Girls' High School, be instructed to afford all facilities to the public vaccinator ; also to recommend vaccination to the pupils of the schools." The latter was considered satisfactory. A letter was read from Dr Townend, acknowledging receipt of circular re reporting infectious diseases and consenting to follow the instructions therein. Considered satisfactory. A letter from tho Sydeuham Borough Co\:ucil was read, culling attention to a large quantity of stagnant water in the old clay pits between the railway and Shakespeare's road, also to the foul state of a. Board drain in the same neighbourhood, The matter was referred to tho Chairman, witii pow?? to act,

Typhoid Diph- Scarlot fever, tfceria. foyer. Measles Christohuroh ... 16 6 1 53 Sydenham ... 10 2 — 18 Avon 2 8 — 17 Heathcote ... — 1 1 19 Bicoarton 15 1 — 5 Spreydon ... — 1 — —