November 13, 1895.]
and in both cases it appeared to me that it were better if they had not been provided.
I found that the beef-fat boiling processes were far more offensive than those of pork-fat boiling, but I consider that both require to be under strict sanitary supervision and regulated by by-laws, and I would suggest the following conditions as essential to the abatement of the present nuisances which arise from these establishments.
The floors of both store-rooms and cook houses to be concreted and rendered smooth, and all walls to be of brick faced with cement
and painted or otherwise rendered impervious to a height of not less than (say) ten feet from the floor. The floors should be channelled and efficient grease traps and drains provided to carry off all waste liquors and water used for cleaning purposes, etc., while both store-rooms and cookhouses should be well lit and adequately ventilated. Provision should also be made for the systematic daily washing down of all floors and walls with hot water at the close of each day's work.
Means must be provided to render the fumes of the boiling fat innocuous either by carrying them high up into the air through a fall chimney or by condensing or buruing them by one or other of the many processes now in vogue for that
purpose.
I would most strongly condemn the plan of allowing the workers to sleep in the shop
or store-rooms, as it must be detrimental to health to sleep in an atmosphere reeking of stale and stinking fats. I also consider that the poesence of a privy in these rooms should on no account be allowed.
I append herewith a detailed account of my inspection of each establishment. I have the honour to be, etc.,
FRANCIS W. CLARK, Medioal Officer of Health. The following minutes were appended— Mr. Ede-I think the recommendations of the Medical Officer of Holtkuld te carried out, giving the fat boilers sufficient time to male their arrangements accordingly.
would have them register names and establishments with the Board and be subject to sanitary inspection, but I would not licence them nor charge then any fees whatever.
Mr. Cooper-It appears most desirable that by laws should be made (a) for the control of this trade; (b) to prevent the carrying on of this trade on any premises within the city without special sunction of the Board in thore cares where such trade is now carried on; (c) to prevent the further establishment
of such trade on any premises within the city.
Dr. Atkinson-With reference to this offensive trade I recommend the prohibition of the establish nent of any more of these fat-boiling shops in the city of Victoria, and the control of the trade by the issue of by-laws where already established. The Board has power under subsection 11, section 13 of the ublic Health Act of 1887 to do both these. The by-laws should deal with (1) storage of offensive material; (2) offensive vapours emitted during boil- ing, melting, etc.; (3) drainage; (4) floors. I would draw attention to the fact that in the Public Health (London) Act 1891, bone boiling and tallow melting are two of the six trades which shall not be esta- blished anew in London.
The PRESIDENT moved that the Secretary be requested to draft by-laws, and that the Medical Officer of Health be requested to assist him in the work with the object of controlling the trade, and with the view of preventing further establishments of that kind in the city.
DE. ATKINSON seconded. Carried.
POULTRY ACCOMODATION.
Correspondence was read concerning the formation of a depot for the storage of poultry. The PRESIDENT proposed that the papers be forwarded to the Colonial Secretary with the request that the whole question of the construc- tion of a suitable depot for the accommodation of poultry be considered as soon as practicable.
Mr. EDE seconded. Carried.
THE PLAGUE REPORT.
The PRESIDENT, in laying the report on the bubonic plague on the table, said-Copies of the report have been circulated to members, and I am sure you will agree with me in saying that it contains a good deal of interesting informa. tion, which will undoubtedly be of great use to this Board in future. A copy of the report will be forwarded to the Government.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
MORTALITY STATISTICS. For the week ending 26th October, the total deaths in the colony numbered 110, being, at the rate of 231 per annum for every thousand of estimated population, as against 24.2 in the previous week and 19-3 in the corresponding week of last year.
The Secretary appended a note-
The only feature of special importance in this return is the number of deaths recorded as occurring in the Shaukiwan district from fevers, and in view of the recent report by the Medical Officer of Health the real cause of these deaths must be looked on as
unknown.
For the week ended 2nd November the total deaths in the colony numbered 125, being at the rate of 26-3 per annum in every thousand of estimated population, as against 231 in the previous week and 20-3 in the corresponding week of last year.
The Secretary appended a note—
The only feature of special importance in this return is that the death rate in the Shauki wan district continués high.
ADJOURNMENT.
The Board adjourned until Thursday week.
PLAQUĘ PREVENTION WORK.
of special work carried out for the prevention The following report showing the progress
of the further spread of bubonic plague was laid on the table of the Sanitary Board ou Thursday :-
|
Sanitary Board,
Hongkong, 21st October, 1895. Sir-Referring to our report dated the 7th of June (Government Notification No. 276 of 1895) we have now the honour to submit, for the information of the Board, the following further particulars of the progress of the special work entrusted to our joint direction.
HOUSE TO HOUSE VISITATION. 2-On the 1st of June the original detach ment, consisting of 24 police and 15 soldiers told off for this service, was reduced to 27 men working in three sections. Each section con- sisted of 4 soldiers, including 1 non-commis- sioned officer, and 4 Chinese constables in charge of an European police constable. On the 15th of June the services of two of the sections were dispensed with, and to the remaining section was allotted the duty of visiting houses in the worst part of the city in the morning and in the afternoon of noting the destination of the passengers arriving by the Canton steamers. This section continued to discharge these duties until the end of July when the services of the police and military were discontinued.!
3.-The night steamers from Canton have been regularly watched by a detachment of police in charge of Detective Inspector Quincey
4.-In appendix A will be found a statement of the number of houses inspected and of the number of possengers tracked to their destina- tion. In all 15.147 inspections of houses have been made and 6,006 passengers from Canton. followed to their destination after leaving the steamers.
5.-It is gratifying to be able to report that the attitude of the public during the examina- tion of houses by search parties has been friendly throughout and that the conduct of those engaged on the service has been good. Al- though none of the house visitation parties discovered any cases of plague, we are of opinion that the surprise visits made from time to time in various parts of the city have had a salutary effect in securing the prompt removal of the sick either to hospital or to places outside the colony:
THE BUBONIC PLAGUE. 6-At the date of our last report only five cases of bubonic plague were known to have occurred since the day on which the first case was reported. After an interval of more than a month, viz., on the 14th June, the disease re-
865
honse, viz., No. 12, was reported the next day (16th). Particulars of these cases, as well as those that occurred subsequently, will be found in appendix B to this report.
7-Five persons from No. 10 and one from No. 12, Heung Lane the rest of the inmates having escaped before the police arrived to take charge of the houses were placed under observation in one of the marriage boats," or native marine hotels, specially chartered for this service and anchored at the back of Stonecutter's Island.
appeared in Holland Street, Kennedytown two cases from No. 9 and one from a matshed situated on private property at the south end of the lane. On the following day (the 15th) four cases occurred in a room on the first floor of No. 10, Heung Lane, in the Sheung Wan District, and a further case from the adjoining
1
8.-Five cases having occurred within two days in these two houses alone, it was decided at 3 p.m. on the 17th, after a close inspection of the other houses in this part of the lane, and on a joint certificate by the Acting Medical Officer of Health and the Assistant Superintendent of the Civil Hospital, to remove the occupants of the next two houses, viz., Nos. 14 and 16, until such time as the premises could be satisfactorily disinfected and cleansed. The majority accor- dingly proceeded to Canton the same evening, having declined the proffered accommodation afloat; the rest were housed in one of the marriage boats.
9. On the 17th of June at 10 p.m. a man suffering from plague entered the Tang Wol Hospital and stated that he had been living in No. 10, Heung Lane, having left the house be- fore the arrival of the polico. He was unable the interval. to give a clear account of his movements during
10. Two cases of plague developed amerg those segregated from Nos. 10 and 12, Heung Lane, viz,, one from No. 10 (on the 18th) and one from No. 12 (on the 20th). Altogether eight cases of plague occurred in these two houses in Hourg Lane.
11. The other cases do not call foreny special remarks beyond those stated in the body and at the foot of the schedule. Not a single case has been reported since the 16th ultime.
12. With regard to the segregating of persons found in infected premises it has been the practice in all cases to allow the cption of proceeding to Canton or of being housed in one of the marriage boats. In the majority of instances the former alternative has been readily accepted, only 21 persons being provided with accommodation afloat. On the 26th June the last batch was released.
DISINFECTION OF HOUSES,
13. In respect of the disinfection of houses
in which cases of bubonic plague have occurca the provisions of by-law No. 25, made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, have been rigidly enforced, and every article destroyed that could not be satisfactorily disinfected. In the cases of the houses in Heung Lane, after fumigation with sulphur and clearing out all the moveable contents, the floors, walls, aud ceilings were thoroughly saturated with the acid solution of perchloride of mercury as recommended in a memorandum of the 26th August, 1892, by Dr. R. Thorne Thorne of the Medical Department of the Local Goveru- ment Board.
14.-It will be observed that most of the cases of bubonic plague occurred in No. 6 Health District. Mr. Hore, the District Inspector, is deserving of praise for the painstaking way in which he has discharged a trying and to say the least, disagreeable duty.
LATRINE DISINFECTION.
15.-The addition of chlorinated lime to the night-soil in public latrines, which had been discontinued at the end of May, was resumed in the case of the Henng Lane latrine on the outbreak of bubonic plague in that locality and maintained until all danger of & further development of the disease in the vicinity had disappeared. For failing to comply with the Board's order in this matter and for a breach of one of the latrine by-laws the keeper was fined $50 by the presiding Magistrate.
MEZZANINE FLOORS AND CUBICLES. 16. The work involved in enforcing com- pliance with the provisions of sections 7 and 8 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, the controlling of which had been delegated to us as a Select Com mittee of the Board, made satisfactory progress in the case of the worst class of houses in the city, especially in districts Nos, 7 and 8, at the west, and Nos. 1 and 2 at the esst erd of the city. As, however, the Inspectors in charge of
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