August 18, 1900.]
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
On Thursday afternoon, the 16th inst., a meeting of the Hongkong Sanitary Board was held. The President (the Hon. R. D. Ormsby, Director of Public Works) occupied the chair, and there were also present the Vice-president (Dr. Bell, Acting Principal Civil Medical Offi- cer), Mr. F. J. Badeley (Acting Captain Super intendant of Police), Mr. J. McKie, Dr. Harti. gan, Dr. F. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. Fung Wa Chuen, Mr. han A Fook, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
END OF THE PLAGUE EPIDEMIC.
Answering Dr. Hartigan, the CHAIRMAN said that at a confidential meeting of the Board it was decided to inform the Government that plague had coased to be epidemic in the colony.
THE SUGGESTED EUROPEAN RESERVATION. FOR KOWLOON.
A further reply was submitted from the Go- vernment relative to the reservation of a Euro- pean district at Kowloon. It said:-
"In reply to your letter No. 118 of the 3rd inst., I am directed to inform you that the question of a European reservation at Kowloon will not be lost sight of."
Mr. McKie minuted :-This is another case of drift, and a most unsatisfactory reply to the Board's letter."
Dr. Hartigan minuted :-"I agree with Mr. McKie. Government pigeon-holes are prover- bially capacious."
Mr. Fung Wa Chuen minuted: "I don't agree with Mr. McKie. I think the Govern- ment's reply is a satisfactory one.' THE DESTRUCTION OF RATS BY POISONOUS GAS.
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The following letter from Professor Simpson, of London, to the olonial Office was submitted:-
With reference to your letter No. 19.250, dated June 27th, relating to experiments made in Hongkong with a view to destroying rats by introducing poisonous gas into swers, I have the honour to state that as a rule frats are not found in small glazed pipe sowers of the des- cription mentioned, so that the results obtained are such as might have been expected. I would further point out that the chemicals selected for the purpose of the experiments, though capable of generating a gas fatal to rats, are far from being the best, and might under ver- tain circumstances prove to be langerous to coolies or workmen employed on the work. Prussic acid is, at all times, not a very safe gas to experiment with unless in the hands of a chemist, and for this reason I think it is inad- visable to generate it in sewers.
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Dr. Hartigan minuted:-Rats are not found in glazed-pipe sewers, and to attempt to poison the storm-water drain, leaky and large, would be waste of time. I think our officers could be much more usefully employed. We did not ask for Dr. Simpson's opinion as to the best gas to employ. Mr. Wilde is a chemist, so the objection does not apply."
Dr. Clark minuted: "In this colony rats are not infrequently to be seen entering the inlets to the glazed-pipe sewers. It is abso- Intely impracticable to destroy rats in our storm-drains by poisonous gases."
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PROPOSED DAIRY BYE-LAWS.
Proposed Dairy Bye-laws made under sub- section 10 of section 13 of Ordinance No. 24 of 1887 were submitted. They were as follows:
1. All premises now used or hereafter used as a dairy shall be registered annually, during the month of January, at the office of the Sanitary Board, and every application for registration shall be made in the form of the schedule at- tached to these bye-laws.
2. The ground surfaces of every existing dairy shall, within three months of the date of its first registration, be pared to the satisfaction of the Sanitary Board with good lime or cement concrete laid down at least six inches thick, and the surface thereof shall be rendered smooth and impervious with asphalt, Portland cement, or such other material as the Sanitary Board may approve of.
The ground surfaces of every future dairy shall, before the premises are used as a dairy, be paved to the satisfaction of the Sanitary Board with good lime or cement concrete laid down at least six inches thick, and the surface thereof shall be rendered smooth and impervious with asphalt, Portland cement, or such other
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
of.
3. No person shall pass the night in any room used as a dairy, or in any of the rooms used for the storage of milk.
accordance with the requirements of the Health 4. Every dairy shall be so drained as to be in Ordinances and the bye-laws made thereunder. and the inlets to the drains shall in all cases be placed outside the rooms in which milk is
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material as the Sanitary Board may approve | fuso destructor, but it had not yet been approved by the Public Works Committee. It had come before the committee twice and been post- poned for further consideration in order that they might have information as to the working which it was proposed to expend was not going of these refuse destructors there. This $60,000
all the refuse in the city. It was more in the to provide a destructor which would deal with light of an experiment. The cost of a destruc- tor to deal with all the refuso of the city would complexion on the affair, because if they spent be nt least $110,000. This put rather a new $60,000 they could still have the dust-boats at work and some of the refuse carried up to Can- ton and elsewhere across the harbour; so that it seemed necessary before the Council voted the money for a refuse destructor that they should consider the matter very carefully.
stored.
urinal shall be within, or be in direct communi- 5. No water-closet, dry-closet, earth-closet, or cation with, any dairy.
6. Every dairy and all utensils used therein shall be kept at all times in a cleanly condition and free from all noxious matter. The whole of the interior walls and the ceilings of the rooms of the dairy shall be properly line-washed and the wood-work thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water during the first and seventh months of each year.
7. No person suffering from any infectious or contagious disease shall be permitted to take part in the sale or delivery of milk.
8. Every dairy shall be, during the hours at which bottling opérations are carried on, open to inspection by the Medical Officer of Health or any of the Board's officers duly deputed by him.
9, No premises which are not used as a dairy at the time of the approval of these by-laws shall be used for such purpose, until the premises have been approved by the Sanitary Board as being in a cordance with the bye-laws for the time being in force relating to the regulation of dairies and have been registered.
10. These bye-laws will come into force on and after the 1st day of January, 1901.
Dr. CLARK said he had drawn up those bye- laws, which were based upon other bye-laws pre- viously approved by the law officers of the Crown for other premises, such as bake-houses. A recent prosecution for adulteration of milk had shown the necessity for having these hye- laws. Probably one of the reasons why they had not had them before was that it was not good to multiply bye-laws unless they had a suf- ficient staff to carry them out, which he thought they now had.
The bye-laws were then considered, but be- fore they had all been gone through,
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Dr. CLARK said the word "experiment" might to some extent be misleading. There was no question of experiment as to the efficacy or other- wise of a refuse destructor. It had been settled, long ago. The only point which required ex- periment was how much refuse each individual destructor could deal with. The nature of the re- fuse of every city varied. In some there was a considerable amount of cinders, which assisted greatly in the burning of the refuse. In a city such as this there would probably be a lot of dry vegetable matter, except in the wet season, and what it was necessary to discover was how many cells would be required to burn the refuse of the city. The proposal was to provide six cells to begin with.
Dr. HARTIGAN-Am I not right in what I sey-that the Government approved of this suggestion?
Dr. CLARK
Yes.
Dr. HARTIGAN -- When ?
Dr. CLARK --In June of last year.
THE VENETIAN SANITARY CONVENTION REGULATIONS.
Lotters were submitted stating that the Venice Sanitary Convention Regulations have been withdrawn against Tamatave, Madagascar, in the Ports of Calcutta and Chittagong, and in
Che Ports of Burmah.
Dr. Hartigan minuted:-" Our port might be declared free now.'
Lieut. Col. Ryan minuted:--"In view of the continued daily occurrence of cases, I cannot understand on what principle Dr. Hartigan's
MILK SAMPLES.
Mr. McKIE observed that the Board had had a period of 13 years in which | suggestion is based.” to bring forward these bye-laws.
Now they had been brought forwar they had only had them before them couple of days, and as they saw there Was a little rooni, for im provement. he proposed that they be referred back to the Medical Officer of Health for re- consideration.
The result of the analysis of four samples of milk was submitted. Mr. T. J. Wild, Acting #overnment analyst, expressed the opinion that samples obtained from No. 4, Kai Un Lane, and No. 5, Stanley Street, were genuine, and that
sample obtained from 104, Wellington Street, contained 30 per cent. of added water and one from No. 6, Cochrane Street, 34 per cent, of
Mr. FUNG WA CHUEN seconded, and the motion was carried. but on the suggestion of Dr. CLARK the members of the Board made sug-added water. gestions as to how the bye-laws should be altered.
THE SUGGESTED REFUSE DESTRUCTOR.
The following letter, dated August 13th, from the Acting Colonial Secretary, was read:
"
With reference to your letter No. 36 of the 2nd March last, I am directed to acquaint you for the information of the Sanitary Board that provision is being made in the estimates for next year for the construction of additional | public latrines and urinals, for a new Western Market on a site on the Reclamation opposite the present Harbour Office. and for increased water storage in the Tytam Valley. The ques- tion of a refuse destructor is under the con- sideration of the Public Works Committee.”
Mr. McKie minuted--" Refuse destructor sanctioned June, 1899.“
Dr. Hartigan minuted :--" I understood the question of the refuse destructor was settled long ago. Why has it been referred again? The unanimous opinion of the Board might have been deemed sufficient."
The PRESIDENT said that with regard to this question perhaps they were aware, and if not
Mr. McKie minuted: -I certainly think that the Board should exercise their power in the control of duiries, as suggested by Inspector Dandy."
Dr. Hartigan minuted :-" Has any action been taken in the two cases of adulterated milk?" The PRESIDENT, alluding to Dr. Hartigan's ninute, said that action was taken in the cases of adulterated milk.
THE FORTNIGHTLY LIME-WASHING RETURN.- Mr. J. H. Dandy, Chief Inspector of Nui sances, in his fortnightly return of lime-washing, said that 419 houses had been reported as hav ing been lime-washed in the Eastern District, the number previously reported being 198! The tenements number 1,313.
THE DEATHS AT MACAO. The deaths at Macao for the week ended
July 29th numbered 53,
THE HEALTH OF THE COLONY, The death-rate for the colony for the week ended July 28th was 24-8, against 287 for the previous week and 22:2 for the corresponding week last year.
The death rate for the week ended August 4th was 220, against 20-1 for the corresponding week last year.
he could inform them now, that before a vote for anything in the public works was allowed it came before a committee of the Legislative Council called the Public Works Committee, who sent it with their recommendation to the Council. Then it came before the whole Council, and it might or might not be approved. Nothing of that sort had ever gone through. As a matter of fact in the list which he sent to the Government for next year the sum of 860,000 appeared for a re-plaints as to the Kowloon Water Supply.
NO PLAGUE IN OSAKA, A telegram was submitted from H.B.M.'s Consul, Hiogo, to the effect that no case of plague had occurred in Osaka since July 1st.
THE KOWLOON WATER SUPPLY. Dr. HARTIGAN called attention to the com-
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