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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[December 8, 1900.
formulate a scheme of sanitary improvement | where in the district, but directly the rainy | sufficient to last for about two months, or in the colony.".
THE KOWLOON WATER supply,
The following reply, dated December 3rd, from Government relative to the Kowloon water supply scheme was submitted:-
"In reply to your letter No. 176 of the 23rd ultimo, regarding the Kowloon water supply, I am directed to inform you that the details of the scheme will be published at an early date."
THE OUTBREAK OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE AT POKFULAM.
Having been directed by the Board to furnish a report as to the origin of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease at Pokfulam,
Mr. Ladds (Colonial Veterinary Surgeon) wrote:-"I am unable to trace the origin of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease at the Dairy Farm premises at Pokfulam, but may state that the disease has been endemic upon many parts of the mainland during the last three years, and knowing its infectious nature can only surmise that the contagion was carried to the farm either in food-stuffs or by infected clothing worn by some of the company's employees.“
The following minutes were appendod :- Major Brown: Importation of fodder from and visits of employees to the infected districts could possibly be traced."
Dr. Hartigan -'It would be well to prohi- bit importation of fodder from infected districts. I think further enquiries should be made and in- formation obtained direct from the mainland, if | necessary, through someone despatched to make enquiries."
Dr. Clark:-" Instruct the Secretary to en- quire from the Dairy Farm Company where they obtain their fodder."
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Dr. HARTIGAN said that in connection with this he might say that he had been told by a citizen who was well informed on these matters that numbers of cattle were landed in the colony without examination OF supervision that they were landed and Mr. Ladds know nothing about them, and that consequently they could not be inspected. If that was true the colony was running a very great danger of infection. As far as he could learn certain cattle wore landed, walked through the town, and infected some healthy cattle not very long ago-within the last two years. This was a matter more for the Police than for the Board. He gave the information for what it was worth.
Dr. CLARK-I think the Secretary might be instructed to enquire of the Dairy Farm whether they obtain their fodder from the mainland.
This was agreed to.
On the motion of the Hon. F. H. MAY, seconded by Dr. BELL, it was decided that the attention of Mr Ladds be called to the state. ment that cattle are landed in the colony with out undergoing examination, and that au ex- planation be asked for as to how this occurs, and that be should report on the matter.
KENNEDYTOWN.
THE INSPECTOR'S QUARTERS AT Correspondence was submitted relative to the quarters of the Inspector in charge of the Animal Depots at Kennedytown.
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season commenced they were soon back again and thoroughly re-established in their old quarters."
The following minutes were appended:- The Hon. R. D. Ormsby:-"Send copy to Colonial Secretary and say I see no reason why Mr. Watson should not remain in quarters. Ask the C. V. S. to kindly explain how a natural stream or water can be drained. The usual meaning of draining is to remove all water
from."
Mr. Lalds:-"In answer to the latter part of the President's minute, I beg to point out that in my letter of the 13th No- | vember I made no mention of draining the stream or water-course, by which natural I presume he means the nullah, which runs down the hill-side in front of the Inspector's quarters, but simply referred to the small pools which abound in the Kennedytown district, independent of the natural stream or water- course, I may further mention as an after- thought that," although Inspector Watson has failed to find suitable temporary quarters near the scene of his duties, perhaps one of the Go vernment Villas at the Peak is available, and should it be thought desirable the Inspector might go there, retaining the allowance for couveyance expenses to and fro, and to assist in dofraying the extra cost of living at the Peak, such as increase in servants' wages, fuel, etc. At present Mrs. Watson is in bed suffering from an attack of fever which she has had for nearly a week. For these reasons I beg to suggest that this minute bo also referred to the Hon the Colonial Secretary for the information and decision of His Excellency the Governor.'
Dr. Hartigan:-"It is a most unusual pro- ceeding for the President to say he sees no reason why Mr. Watson should not remain 'in his quarters, when the Board have decided otherwise. There seems to be no supervision of depôts at present.”
Mr. McKio“ Agree with Dr. Hartigan. The Hon. F. H. May:-"This officer should not be allowed to reside at the Peak. I don't believe that no quarters aro obtainable in Kon- nedytown."
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at the most three, and it therefore becomes imperative that the Board make other arrange- ments for the disposal of these carcases.. my opinion, as previously stated, a crematori- um for cattle would be found to be too expensive in working, and I would suggest that after the present ground is used, and ponding the erection of a destructor, all condemnod carcases of | animals should be taken out to sea and under proper supervision weighted and thrown over- board."
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Would it not Dr. Hartigan minated :—' be well to use lime over the old portion of the burial ground as well as over the now. Carry- ing carcases to sea is ineffective and expensive. At least that was the general opinion when the experiment was tried in 1896 (?) at the Dairy Farm.
The Hon. R. D. Ormsby--“I have written to England and Bombay for plans and estimates for a suitable crematorium for disposing of the carcases of cattle and pigs, and a German firm are also going to send in a tender with plan. Before anything can be built I think we will have to resort to taking the carcases out to sea."
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Dr. HARTIGAN said that the place whero these carcases were being buried was getting in close proximity to the new infections hospital, one reason why he wanted to and that was know where the infectious hospital was going to be placed.
Dr. CLARK thought the attention of the Government should be directed to the urgency of this matter. The waste land in the neighbourhood of the Cattle Depots had for years past been used for burying doad cattle and dead pigs, with tho result that the soil was saturated with de- composing animals and wus most offensive to the smell. On his suggestion a week or two ago the Sanitary Surveyor visited the spot and marked out an additional site for the interment of these carcases, but he told him that would only be sufficient for three mouths. It would be within the recollection of the Board thatin Juno, 1899, the Board recommendedtho erection of a refuse-destructor at Kennedy-town and if it was intendedthat it should be usedalso for the It was used dostruction of these dead carcases.
as an argument by Mr. Ladds for destroying these carcases by fire instead of burning them that as soon as these carcases were interred they wore sometimes dug up by coolies, who sold them to shops. When some two months ago tho Government replied to the Board saying they were not prepared to proceed with the erection of a refuse-destructor he recommended that they should ask the Government to put ono up for the destruction of these dead carcasos alone.
The PRESIDENT, alluding to Dr. Hartigan's minute, said he really did not see why the President should not express an opinion að well ús any other free man in the colony. If Inspec tor Watson liked to live at the quarters at Kennedytown he did not see why he should be interfered with. The other day he was down at Kennedytown and he discussed the matter with Inspector Watson for about half-an-hour.
Since then he had made enquirios He himself was in good health, although he had previously suffered from fever, and his children and had found that it would be extremely were as healthy as any he had seon. His wife expensive to have a destructor for the destruc seemed to be fovor-stricken, but when the man tion of carcases of animals alone. In 1896 it preferred to live in the quarters at Kennedy-cost them over $150 to destroy the carcase of town to going to live in a flat at Konnedytown one cow which died of rinderpest. That was or at the Peak ho should be allowed to live possibly more than it would have cost them if they had had a refuse-destructor, but he did there.
not think it would cost much less than $40 to $50 for the necessary fuel to destroy a car- cattle destructors. in one of those case Under these circumstances he begged to move that the Board a;ain direct the attention of the Government to the urgent necessity for a refuse-dostructor at Kennedytown, 80 that they would be able to destroy the carcases of animals in addition to dealing with the rofuso of❤ the city. In the latter covering that resolution the Secretary might point out that it would be more economical to do this than to orect a dos- tructor for animals alone.
After some little disscussion it was decided, on the motion of the Hon. F H. MAY, seconded by Dr. BELL, to recommend that Inspector Watson be allowed to remain in his quarters at Kounedytown during the cool season.
THE DISPOSAL OF THE CARCASES OF CATTLE AND PIGS.
Mr. Ladds (Colonial Veterinary Surgeon) wrote on the 13th ult. :-" Referring to your lotter of the 29th ult. respecting the Inspector's quarters at Kennedytown, I have the honour to report that after making many enquiries Mr.
Correspondence was submitted relative to the Watson finds that it is impossible to obtain suitable temporary quartors anywhere in the disposal of the carcases of cattle and pigs.
As it is Mr. J. J. Bryan. Sauitary Surveyor, in a district near the scene of his duties.
The only absolutely necessary that the Inspector should | letter dated 3rd December, said : reside close at hand to have any proper control piece of available ground that I can find in the or supervision over the Slaughter House and vicinity of the Cattle Market is the portion Animal Depots, I therefore bog to recommend coloured red on the enclosed tracing, of which that he be allowed to remain where he is only about 2,000 square feet can be used, as the at present for the reason that the ensuing season ground is rather marshy. I have had it cleared, is not generally considered to be the worst for the ground water divorted, and it is now ready malaria, and should it be proved conclusively for use. When I visited the present burial ground that the anopheles mosquito is the only source last Monday I found that a carcase of a pig hud of malaria, the larvae of these insects can bo vory just been buried only ono foot six inches below quickly killed off for the time being in the few the surface of the ground. The stench all ovor pools in which they have at present been found the ground was abominable and led me to suppose that most of the other carcases wore buried at at Kennedytown, but unless these pools aro then filled up at once or, better still, drained, as about the same depth. To avoid a recurrence long since recommended by Dr. Clark and my- of this in the new ground I am having two self, the anopheles will reappear in them direct- trenches dag, one for cattle six feet deep and If ly any effort at killing them is relaxed. This one for sheep and pigs five feet deep.
the C. V. 8. will notify me when these are I proved during the whole of last cool season, having treated the pools which they affected filled I will have others prepared. I would periodically, with the result that during the lat-suggest that in future all carcases should ter part of that time none could be found any. be buried in lime. This ground is only
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Mr. OSBORNE seconded.
The Hou. F. H. MAY said that this mattor of a refuse-destructor was one of the sins of omission which had unjustly been laid to the chargo of the Government. It had been many times before the Government. As a matter the unofficial mem- of fact ho happened to know that the It had been before stumbling block was bers of the Council. the Public Works Committee more than once, and it had been invariably thrown out by the committee, and he believed that the reason was that this refuse-destructor which they had recommended from time to time was not put forward as a refuse-destructor for the whole of the city but only as an experiment by the Public Works Committee. They thought that if this one succeeded there would be various
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