Kitchen
Walls.
Regulations.
185 (14)
105. By section 140, the internal surface of these walls have to be rendered. in cenient mortar to a height of not less than 4 feet.
106. From evidence it seems that on account of the action of heat from kitchen fires, general rough usage by Chinese, and the difficulty of making the cernen adbere to the walls (old walls especially) to so great a height as four feet, the enforcement of this part of the section is unsatisfactory, and we recommend that the height be limited to 18 inches.
107. We consider that the medical staff should have nothing to do with examining and passing the above works, which are eminently questions for a Civil Engineer.
108. A certificate should be granted on completion, which should protect the owner from being called upon to do the work a second time.
The Medical Officer of Health stated that although a Sanitary Inspector passes. such work when completed, it is not a certificate that the workmanship, is good.
Limewashing 109. Compulsory lime washing was first introduced as an anti-plague measure and largely as a result of the panic caused by the virulent outbreak See Mr. of 1894. Ten years of enforcement of the lime washing regulations have shewn that the lime washing operations as carried out and for the purpose intended are a Page 2216, &c. complete failure.
Osborne's statement.
See Dr. Clark's evidence.
110. Although on the question of the efficacy of lime washing as a means of cleansing there has been considerable diversity of opinion in the expert evidence, on the question of its efficacy as a disinfectant and germicide there has been virtually none. The evidence is conclusive that lime washing as carried out in Hongkong is valueless as a disinfectant and germicide.
111.
The Medical Officer of Health supported lime washing because as it was nger 1938 apparently the only method of cleansing dark corners and out of the way places; he did not attribute any disinfectant properties to the limewash. Dr. Pearse said:-
and 1941.
Page 1657.
Page 2139.
Page 2149.
Page 1711. Page 1692.
See Mr.. Osborne's statement.
Page 2216.
Mr. Osborne's statement.
66
I do not know what it (lime washing) was introduced for, but I should not carry it out as a means of destroying plague germs in a house; its advantage as "an anti-plague measure is very small".
112. Mr. OUGH was of opinion that English or stone lime put on hot would do good, and said that the lime used in lime washing operations locally was third grade Sai Kung lime which consisted of the lower and coarser layers of coral and shell lime mixed with sand and partly burned particles of shell. The advantage "of lime washing was that there was visible evidence of the brush having been "there; the lime wash had no disinfectant properties".
113. Mr. LEMM expressed similar views. Mr. PERKINS thought the number of compulsory lime washings might be reduced and that it might be left to the Medical Officer of Health or some high officer to discriminate, while Mr. OSBORNE was of opinion that "the so called lime washing entailed expenditure with no "corressponding good, and was valueless except to accentuate the surrounding dirt”.
114. "In the majority of cases the stuff slopped on the walls is so weak in whitening qualities that in a few days the walls are yellow again”.
115. Mr. OSBORNE was also of opinion that compulsory lime washing should be abolished and its place taken by monthly house to house cleansing. He cites in support of his contention extensive experiments carried out under his direct super- vision. His statement that as the result of his operations amongst a large staff of some thousands of employés, there has only been one case of plague in six years, notwithstanding the fact the disease raged in the neighbourhood, must command attention.
116. The Commission are inclined to the opinion that if proper monthly, bi- monthly or even quarterly cleansings were undertaken by the people under the supervision of the Sanitary Board, compulsory lime washing may be found unnecessary and for the reasons stated hereafter, inexpedient. In any case, the