THE SALE OF TAINTED FOOD.
(Daily Press, 22nd May.) It is gratifying to note that such remarks as we have ha occasion to make during the past week on the subject of the sals in the Colony of unwholesome and tainted condensed milk, tinned butter and other commodities, have not been without their effect. As we stated on the 15th instant, the Sanitary Board had already made a heavy seizure of condensed milk unfit for human consumption or for any other purpose that we know of. Some of this, as we pointed out then, was sold to ice-cream vendors at the modest price of two or three cents a tin. For some unknown reason, however, the Sanitary Board was reluctant to prosecute, and a grave menace to the health of the poorer inhabitants of the Colony appeared likely to be neglected by those whose duty it is to look after such affairs. We therefore put some of the facts before our readers. Since then the Sanitary authorities have taken the steps which they ought to have taken long before. The prosecution of one of the vendors of these tainted goods at the Police Court on Monday ended in the imposition of the full penalty of $100, and the destruction of the rotten goods offered for sale. Another prosecution was instituted yesterday. We trust that these two prosecutious will be followed by others, unless the unscrupulous vendors of their own accord destroy the offending articles.
THE CRISIS: TELEGRAMS.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.]
Shanghai, 19th May, 7.38 p.m. Designing to nullify one of the Allies' demands, the Reactionaries at Hsianfu are urging the Empress Dowager to issue a decree in the Emperor's name, stopping the examinations everywhere for five years.
SHANGHAI, 21st May, 7.58 p.m. The Court has issued an urgent Imperial Decree ordering Prince Ching and Li Hung-chang to conclude terms of peace.
The famine in Shensi hus rendered the stoppage of the Court at Hsianfu im- possible.
THE NEED OF MUNICIPAL + FREEDOM IN HONGKONG.
11.
IMMEDIATE REFORM of the SANITARY SYSTEM IMPERATIVE,
THE DESIRABILITY OF A MUNICIPAL C UNCIL.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The correspondence which has appeared in the local Press on the first article on this important subject is ample evidence that the evils pointed out are well known to the com- munity, if unapparent to the local Government, and the vigour of that correspondence tends to shake the charge of apathy preferred against the residents generally. The discussion that is also going on verbally amongst the community, on the whole, substantiates the statements made in the first article as to the grievances the public are labouring under. It is well the Government should kt on this, because if it is unable to realise the grievances it will be equally unable to recognise the bitter feelings of the
residents who are compelled to submit to them. The Hongkong Daily Press and the China Mail hare comprehensively dealt with the first article, and while they are unable to endorse the whole of the statements, or rather opinions, they acknowkdge the
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government, which it is more convenient to discuss at the end of this article, as there arò certain other grievances and abuses which need comment before closing the case of Hongkong's misgovernment.
of
It may be as well to refer again to the absolute furce of our present sanitary system. It would be more appropriate to call it a scandal, for its results are too grave for it to be termed a farce. Within the last two weeks, the community has been startled by the occurrence of several cases "plague amongst Europeans, four having succumbed to it. The daily medical returns show that the epidemic is increasing in its ravages instead of diminishing, and residents are con- fronted with the fact that the practical immunity which the Europeans appeared to possess from plague is passing away, and they seem almost as liable to contract this vile disease as the lthiest. It may be argued that to mention this fact is unwise and can serve no useful purpose, but, on the contrary, if Euro peans through fear of their own safety will rise up and insist on the whole of the wretched sanitary system of the Colony being remodelled and reformed, such action will have very valuable and gratifying results. Events of the last two resident to contract plague. That being so it is weeks have proved it possible for any European criminal to sit idle without being convinced that everything which modern medical science. can suggest is being acted upon in this Colony to-day, now, to render the place clean, healthy and free from disease.
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[May 25, 1901
exactly the same causes prevail to-day, numerous Europeans bravely riakud their lives in undertaking most undésirable duties Soveral were sacrificed. They did so thinking that once and for all the Government would leave nothing undone to prevent a possible recurrence of plague. Let us congratulate the Government and ourselves on the result. It is before us-700 reported cases from January to May and eleven European cases in the last three weeks.
Another important, matter concerning the health of the community is that of the mle of articles unfit for human consumption. I think I am correct in stating that the authorities (it, is difficult to locate them in this case) were in- censed because the Hongkong Daily Press reported on the seizure of rotten tinned milk, which was being retailed at a few cents a tin The Sanitary Board declined at first to prosecute because they thought that came within the duties of the Police. The Police declined because they believed the reverse. Whilst this somewhat too technical wrangle was proceeding the retailers of the poisonous concoction were likely to get off free. The point has since been settled, pos- sibly through fear of further newspaper com- of a legal luminary as to the respective respon- ment, or perhaps through obtaining the opinion sibilities of the two bodies. During the last week I have made a few purchases on Queen's Road. I selected that as being the most im- portant business thoroughfare. The results of my visitation are not favourable to that autho- · Is there anyone in this Colony who can allege rity which supervises the sale of provisions, for that such is being done now, or is even being presumably whilst the Sanitary Board and the Police are debating the point, some sort Lof contemplated by the present Government ?
Modern medical science demands that for a authority exists. I obtained a one-pound tin of city to be healthy it must be kept thoroughly butter for ten cents! "Made in Normandy clean and in a perfect sanitary condition. the le end on the tin said. I learned indirectly This is accomplished by an appropriate and from the Medical Officer of Health that shop- an effective system of drainago, with a plen- keepers could not be prosecuted for selling that tiful use of water and disinfectants- "Normandy" butter because "It might be used Hongkong is surrounded with water, and we for lubricative purposes." I have passed a num. suffer from want of it; by the proven-ber of years in the East, always with Chinese tion of overcrowding and the introduction of machinists around me, but I never saw any use open spaces-lungs-in populous centres; butter, not even "Normandy" at ten cents a by house-to-houso visitation by competent in pound, for such purposes. I have known my spectors trained in sanitary knowledge, who house-servants lubricate their throttles with my are attached to a large fairly-paid staff, whose 80 cents a pound tin of butter. Considering business it is to check abuses, remedy evils, and that the purchaser is liable to be misled by the see that the requirements of modern sanitary inscription on the 10 cent tin of butter, it might science are fulfilled and not evaded by the dirty, be as well to have it labelled with the chemist's the careless and the ignorant. The people them familiar red-letter injunction "Poison-Not selves should receive every inducement to be clean. to be Taken Internally." Since then I obtained The system of sanitation should be suited to the a tin containing one pint of "Sterilized Pare people and the town, and be under the direct Natural Cow's Milk, Made in Norway," control of competent medical officers, qualified with precautions (very essential I should in sanitary science. If it is necessary to have imagine) to be observed opening. This 900 policemen in the Colony to look after the tin is rusty with age, and the legend on it morals of the community, it is of greater describes it as "a luxury with all kinds of importance to have an adequate staff of sanitary stowed fruit, and excellent for making ice- policemen to look after the sanitation of the cream." This cost me 83 cents. I respectfully Colony.
submit to the C.M.O., that this was not sold as a lubricant! Then again I obtained for 5 cents a half-pound tin of “Potted Ham,” “ Made in the Argentine Republic." I also submit this was not retailed as a lubricant unless it was to enable the consumer to glide with ease from this world to the next. Those with others made up my purchases. Unless the authority responsible for the supervision of the sale of such edibles cares to open and inspect the same at a selected secluded spot, I intend bary them. No doubt, as in the case of Jerome K. Jerome scheese, and the carcase burying-ground at Kennedy Town (which is adjacent to the new Police Station) the vicinity of the interment may earn a reputation in time as a promising health resort.
Can anyone state that such is the case in Hongkong to-day? Can anyone expect the| sanitation of the Colony to be adequately policed and controlled by a staff of one medical officer, a sanitary surveyor and twenty inspectors of nuisances ? Is not this in the light of present disease-returns a scandal of a malignant type? To support my position, it will surprise many, perhaps the Government itself, to learn that it now takes an inspector of nuisances two months to go thoroughly over his health district-a duty which should be done daily! The salary of a European inspector, with house allowance, amounts to $105 a month. With this state of things transpiring, with Europeans and Chines succumbing in numbers daily to infectious disease, with every possibility and probability of the epidemio increasing, our Government remains smug and inactive, dosing over the platitudes recited by the omcial mem. bers of the Sanitary Board, to be temporarily aroused when such members forget their official clothes in spasmodic bursta of common- sense and human naturo. Dr. Bell thinks it unnecessary to examine any
engers from Canton or Maono: Dr. Bell does not object to plague corpses being carried in a box through busy thoroughfares: Dr. Bell, who doubt an eminent maitary
sufficient.
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It will be admitted that the operation of the Sales of Food and Drugs Ordinancs comes within the scope of Municipal control, and no Municipal Council would allow its be made a mart for the sale of unfit for human
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