29

H.—3l

SUMMARY OP OFFICE-WORK. Some idea of the heavy clerical work devolving on the district office can be obtained from the following summary: — Letters written (District Office) ... ... ... ... ... 1,951 ~ (laboratory) ... ... ... .. ... 912 2,863 . Circulars sent ... .. ... .. ... ~. ... 149 Requisitions served on — Local authorities ... ... ... .. .... .. 227 Individuals ... ..-. .. ... ... 36 Via Factory Inspector ... ... ... ... ... 5 ~ Licensing Bench ... ... .. .... 24 On other Departments ... ... ... ... .. 34 326 Applications for private-hospital licenses ... .. ... .. 42 Applications for admission to sanatorium ... ... ... 149 Condemnation certificates issued ... .. ... ... .. 68 By-laws dealt with .. ... . ... ... ... 22 Prosecutions ... .. ... ... ■ • ■ ■ • • 17 Special Re-ports have been furnished on the following subjects: — Plans and cost of launch suitable for the Port Health Officer work. Preservation of milk (Dr. Finch). Dangers of " producer "-gas plants. Cost of sanitary inspection. Medical insjtection of schools. Standards of purity for septic-tank effluent. Filter-beds for water-purification (Education Department). Duties of Public Vaccinators (circular). Pasteurisation plants (Masterton Borough Council). Jiemoval and disposal of refuse (Wanganui Borough Council). Hamilton typhoid outbreak. Physical Examinations have been made as follows: — Applicants for sanatorium treatment ... ... ... ... ... 32 Cases suspected, infectious disease ... ... ... ... ... 31 Others ... ... ... ... ■•• ... •■■ ... 12 Total ... ... ... ... ... ■• ... 75 The pathological and scientific work is dealt with in another report. SANITATION OF THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS. Wellington Citt. Population, 58,565. Infectious diseases reported: Scarlet fever, 135; enteric fever, 24; diphtheria, 45; tuberculosis, 52; blood-poisoning, 5. In matters of sanitation Wellington is certainly a progressive city, and I cannot agree with those who from time to time would have us believe that the Corporation neglects its duties in this respect. Frequent examination of the water-supply shows that it is good, and the drainage so far as it goes is excellent. Defects there are, particularly in the matter of the removal of refuse, but this will be remedied when the renewal of the destructor is an accomplished fact. There is much difficulty at present in the matter of offensive-trade products, such as accumulate particularly in fish-shops. I understand that special provision is being made for such matters as an adjunct to the new destructor, and also that a steam disinfecting apparatus will be added, which should make a great difference in the incidence of such diseases as scarlet fever, it being at present impossible to insure thorough disinfection of bedding and other heavy materials. A small but much-needed bit of drainage has been put in at Evans Bay, by which the oysterfattening beds are now protected from pollution by house-drainage. Great advances are being made in the matter of extending the water-supply to the outlying suburbs. The enlargement of the Karori high-pressure reservoir is in hand, together with a special reservoir to supply the higher pants, such as Kelburne. Following, of course, on the provision of a water-supply, drainage will be laid in the outlying parts, and the insanitary conditions at present too frequently found in Kelburne, Kilbirnie, and Island Bay will be finally removed. As indicating the influence of such conditions on the incidence of dirt diseases, such as typhoid and diph-