Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 618

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Mr. CROW.-I think the posts of Superintendent and Secretary should be disso- ciated completely. I do not see how one Officer can perform the duties in the Office and the outside work as well. I do not think a medical man would care to superintend the Inspectors of Nuisances and matters in connection with scavenging:

Mr. THURBURN.--Do not they do that at home?

Mr. CROW.-The general supervision in towns at home is not done by the medical officer but by a sanitary inspector. A medical officer is responsible for the health of the town. There is a Senior Inspector of Nuisances here who, I think, should be responsible for the duty and he could be responsible direct to the Medical Officer of Health. In my native town in Lincolnshire, there is a Medical Officer of Health, a Sanitary Inspector, and a Foreman, who looks after the practical work and the sca- venging of the town. All applications go to the office and the Sanitary Inspector gives orders to the Foreman. But the whole staff is under the Medical Officer of Health. The Sanitary Inspector is also the rural authority and looks after the particular district of the County; he has a carriage allowance and visits the villages and sees cases of infectious disease and gives instructions for the disposal of these cases.

Dr. CANTLIE,-Has your personal staff in the pharmaceutical department at the Civil Hospital increased lately?

Mr. CROW.-No, about eight or nine years ago there used to be an apothecary in the Lock Hospital, but when the C. D. O. was abolished the two offices were amalga- mated. The Portuguese, DE Souza, retired, and a pharmaceutical chemist was obtained from England. He left before the term of his agreement was terminated. That was Mr. WATSON. Then Mr. LUCAS came out, and he left immediately his time was up. Mr. BROWNE is the third man; and when he was engaged it was stipulated that he was to undertake analytical work. That work is increasing. The Sanitary Board gives us a good deal of work now. The chief thing analysed last year was water from the wells closed during the plague epidemic.

Dr. CANTLIE. Have you time to do dispensing too?

Mr. CROW. I have to superintend both departments. The work of the analytical department has been increased by our having to test petroleum. The whole of the fees for that goes into the Treasury. We get no extra pay. Then there is the criminal work. There was a good deal of it last year. In six weeks we had four cases. I have recommended that the Government Analyst-the senior of the two-should be relieved of the routine work in connection with the pharmacy.

Dr. CANTLIE. Has that recommendation been adopted?

Mr. CROW.-No. I have to work in the dispensary.

Dr. CANTLIE.-Under whose orders are you?

Mr. CROW.-The Medical Officer of the Department.

Dr. CANTLIE.—Whom are you under?

Mr. Crow. I was told when appointed I was under the orders of the Colonial Surgeon, but as apothecary in the Civil Hospital I am under the Superintendent of the Hospital. I think it a great hardship that I should have to work from nine o'clock to eleven at night in the Hospital when I might be finishing some analytical examination. Many analytical processes cannot be finished in the ordinary day, and I have to work late.

Dr. CANTLIE.-If any person wanted an analysis of water or milk could you do it? Mr. CROW.-No; it can only be done by application through the Colonial Secre- tary in the usual way.

Dr. CANTLIE.-Can analysis be done at the Dispensaries here?