Jnus 30, 1906.) -
that would be the time when the question should be raised as to whether such papers should be put down to be considered confidentially or publicly.
Mr. HOOPER-I must say a little more on that. Your reason for ruling me out of order when I moved that a certain matter be discussed in public was that the Government had re- quested that such similar oɔmmunications should be considered in private, and until that was rescinded you would rule me out of order. You gave me a direct answer and I ask you to-day whether you stand by that answer or are prepared to modify it.
The PRESIDENT—I am prepared to stand by the standing orders.
Mr. HOOPER And do you think your ruling at last meeting was in accordance with the standing orders?
The PRESIDENT-There is a doubt in the matter.
Mr. HOOPER-Oh! That's all right.
QUESTIONS.
The following questions were asked by Mr. HUMPHREYS :-
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Question 1. Has the distemper (i.e., limewash) from the interior walls of infected Chinese houses ever been bacteriologically examined with | s view to ascertaining the percentage of organic matter therein or with a view of finding out whether the bacilli of tuberculosis, enteric or plague are present ? If yes, state results for the information of the Board. If not, why not?
Question 2. Has the mortar from internal limewashed walls in infected Chinese houses ever been examined as above? If yes, state results. If not, why not?
Question 3. Has the distemper (ie., lime- wash) or mortar from European dwellings such as Beaconsfield Arcade where plague has been recurrent ever been bacteriologically examined as in 1 and 2? If yes, state results. If not, why not?
Question 4. Is old limewash or distemper scraped off before now is put on? (There is nothing in the regulations to enforce this and in the case of Chinese dwellings it is not done as far as my own knowledge goes.)
Question 5. Does not size, which is analogous to gelatine, make one of the finest cultures for bacteria ?
Question 6. Assuming that the mortar of internal walls in infected houses contained bacilli harmful to life, would not the coating of such walls with an innocuous substance like slaked lime mixed with a good germ culture like size increase the percentage of germs and organic matter by giving them more to feed on ?.
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Question 7. Assuming the answer to 6 to be yes, is not the very large annual tax on the community which the limewashing regulations entail not only money wasted but money spent in fostering disease?
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CHINA, OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
A. 7.-
SENIOR INSPÈctors' poweRS. A minute was submitted by the Medical Officer of Health requesting that the senior officers be authorised to enter promise and inspect food in accordance with section 83 of the Public Health and Building Ordinance
1903.
Mr. HUMPHREYS wrote-1 am not iu favour of increasing the powers of senior inspectors. Mr. HOOPER-I agree with Mr. Humphreys. Surely_three doctors and a veterinary surgeon are sufficient.
Mr. H&WETT-Nor I, unless some very good reason can be advanced.
Mr.LAU CHU-PAK-The M.O.H. has not given any reason why this power should be extended to the senior inspectors. Are they qualified to pronounce that any food is anwholesome ?
The M.O.H.-This matter arose in connection with some tinned food condemned the other day. I was informed in an anonymous letter that there was a quantity of bad tinned food in s certain shop. I had not time to visit the place myself, told an inspector to go and if he found the meat blown to ring me up. There would be no care, if this power were given to Inspectors, in which they would condemn food on their own account. I want them to have the right to enter a shop, seize food and bring it up here so that I or someone else may examine it.
Mr. HOOPER asked how many cases were reported to the M.O.H.
Dr. PEARSE replied about three or four a year. There was a great deal of cheap tinned food being sold that was not fit for consumption. In reply to Mr. Hewett, Dr. PEARSE explained that he only wished the inspectors to be able to enter the premises under the written authority of the MO.H. or C.V.S.
Mr. HEWETT said with that modification hə saw no objection to the proposition. He sug. gested that the authority be given only to three officers.
The PRESIDENT--You can't have them tres passing on other districts. It must either be the six inspectors or none. Do you prefer six or none?
Mr. H&WETT-Oh, the six.
It was agreed that the resolution as drafted should be submitted to the Crown Solicitor for advice.
BADLY MADE COFFINS
Correspondence was submitted relative to the nuisance caused by badly-made private coffins. When the Secretary read the minute by Mr. Fung Wa-chun-This most offensive nuisance ought to ve stopped,
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Mr.FUNG WA CHUN interposed--What, what I did not write that. Let me see it, please. I know my writing is bad,
On being banded the minute this gentleman said the minute read-This sort of nuissuce, etc. It was decided that the undertakers were responsible and the matter was left in the bands of the Registrar-General.
DEFYING THE HARD.
The replies by the PRESIDENT were :--- A. 1. On the 18th inst. I obtained a sample of linewash in actual 1180 ia д Chinese house in Queen's Road West and submitted it to the bacteriologist for examina- In discussing the drainage work at St. tion. He reports that it contained no micro-Patrick's Club, Mr. HOOPER complained of the organisms. that it was unable to support the life | action of Mr. Warren, the architect, in proceed. of the micro-organisms of plague, of typhoid, ing with the work pending the decision of the of cholera and of several others with which he Board, knowing that what he had done was experimented; that one part of the limewash against the regulations, and declared that Mr. added to five parts of a culture liquid containing Warren had acted in defiance of the Board. A actively growing organisms of the above strong protest should be sent to Mr. Warreu. diseases killed the organisms within twelve The Board agreed. hours, and that the limewash when dry did not appear to favour the growth of these organisms. Farther experiments are being conducted in regard to the dry limewash.
A. 2. Numerous experiments have been made in various parts of the world, in regard to viability of the bacillus of plague on the walls of plague infected houses, the results have shown that the bacillus does not survive these conditions for longer than seven days in tem- perate climates, and for a much less period in tropical countries.
A. 3. No. The reply to question 2 shows that the subject has been thoroughly investigat. ed though not in connection with Beaconsfield Arcade.
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A. 4. I understood that the walls are usually brushed and not scraped.
A 5. No.
A. 6. No, The reply to question 1 shows that the limewash has the opposite effect.
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LIVING IN PIG-STY ES
The following letter written by Mr. Shelton Hooper was read:
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down has nover boon re-oreated. "and is fall of flies. The refuse of the matshed is dumped in the nullah where the clothes are washed and licensed pig-styes are now used as domestic buildings. All the above refers to Tai Hang and an equally bad... state of affairs exists at Wong Nei Cheong. The drain to the east side of the village, which is occasionally dammed across, causes the honses to be flooded. The hydrant is barely approachable on account of the condition of the road and the water from the hydrant was like thick milk. There is no publio latrine būt an improvised one in very bad condition. Several licensed pig-styes are used as domestic buildings and the pathways running between the build. ings are in a filthy condition, having noproperly constructed surface drains but those the water has made for itself. I have been informed that there have been unreported cases of smallpox, and there is a case of a man believed to be à leper, whom I saw. He said that he had been sent to Canton twice as a leper, but that they said at Canton that it was not leprosy. How- ever, I think the case should be investigated. I fail to understand why such a state of affairs has been allowed to exist for so long, and I think the Board should take immediate action. I desire that this might be circulated as soon as possible.
Dr. PEARSE said he had not had time to go into details, but he had made a preliminary inspection of those villages. He was not inclined to view their condition with the same amount of alarm as Mr. Hooper. He admitted that a good deal might be done to make them tidier, while certain of the things mentioned had been reported before. The training of aullabs was very necessary, but some of that work was in progress. There was undoubtedly a good deal of rubbish lying about, but it did not do great barm, although it looked untidy. The pig-styes were in need of repairs and the reason why these bad not beu carried out was because the district had been without- an inspector for some tim2, In conclusion, he said there were certain things which needed attoution, and he proposed in the course of the next fortnight to investigate and report.
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Mr. HOOPER remarked that Dr. Pearse's adjectives were milder than those he had used. The Dootor had not referred to the pig-styes being used as dwellings, and he moved that the licences be taken from those people.
The members agfeed..
ANTHRAX.
A case of authrax was reported by the C. V. S. at the Kennedy Town Cattle Depot.
CHINESE GRAVES.
A minute was submitted by the Sanitary Surveyor relativo to the size of Chinese graves.
The PRESIDENT explained that it was desir able to have the paths wide enough to avoid a desecration of the grav-s.
It was agreed that the papers be referred to the Commission.
LIMEWASHING AT SHA PO.
Correspondence was submitted relative to the limewashing of the houses at Shs Po village; near Kowloon City.
The PRESIDENT recommended that the people be encouraged to do the work themselves.
CEILINGS AND PLAGUE,
Further correspon·lence was submitted. relative to the removal of ceilings during the cleansing and disinfection of premises.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK-One course or fother should be taken-either to make good of pay full compensation.
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Mr. HUMPHREYS-I agree with Mr. Lau Chu-pak.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL----All that is neces- sary is to incite the attention of the sub-committee" to this point and to say that in the opinion of Sir, I desire to bring to the notice of the the Board compensation should include cost of Board the disgustingly dirty and insani-making good the damage. tary state of the buildings and land at Tai Hang and Wong Nei Cheong. The floors of the licensed pig-styes are in a very bad condi- tion, wide gaps existing in the joints between the rough granite stones forming the floors. The sumps are in a fifthy condition and never seem to be cleared or emptied. The hydrant in the pathway is surrounded by water, the path- way between washed away 12 or or 12 inches lower than the curb in Shepherd Street. Matsheds with floors in a wet and filtby condi- tion are used as domestic dwellings Clothes which are washed in the nullah are stored in these matsheds before being delivered in town. | The matshed in which bean ourd is made and
which was a little while ago partly burned'
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Mr. HOOPER Compensation should certainly be paid for all damage done to the property.
STRONG WORDS.
Application was submitted for a modification of the requirements of Section 11 and 112 of the Public Health and Building Ordinanos 903 in respect of No. 384, Queen's Roal West. The applicant pointed out how harshly the requirements would operate, the premises having been vacant and, the work entsiling an expenditure of a year's rent.
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