306
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on October 30th at the Board Room, The Hon. Dr. Atkinson (president) presided, and there were also present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Vice-President, Dr. F. Clark, Medical Officer of Health, Dr. McFarlane, Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin, Hon. Mr. E. A.
Hewett, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr H. Humphreys, Mr. Lau Chu-pak. Mr. Faug Wa-chun and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (secretary).
WHAT IS A COMMITTEE ?
The PRESIDENT-I beg to move that the minutes of last meeting be confirmed.
Mr. HOOPER-One minute before the motion is pat. When we went into committee at last meeting on the question of cemetery bye-laws, there was a rote taken and that was not reported to the Board. I take it, therefore, that that vote is not binding.
The PRESIDENT-The matter was referred to the Crown Solicitor, but I don't think any vote was taken, as no committee was appointed
to consider the matter.
Mr. HOOPER-But we went into committee to consider the matter.
The PRESIDENT-The standing orders were suspended to allow of discussion. The matter has been referred to the Crown Solicitor.
Mr. BOOPER-All right, I'm satisfied.
GENERAL CLEANSING. The PRESIDENT,
pursuant to motion, moved :
notice of
"That the Board under Section 14 (2) of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance 1903, as amended by Section 5 of Ordinance 23 of 19 3, appoint & Select Committee consisting of the President and Messrs. Fang Wa-chun and Lau Chu-pak to consider all complaints arising in connection with the General Cleansing."
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK minuted.I think the select committee should also be authorised to arrange all the details in connection with the general cleansing as before 19.5.
The PRESIDENT stated that the details were arranged for departmentally
Mr. Hooper-Does that mean you report the result of its investigations to the Boar
The President -1 es. Proceeding he said:- This house to house visitation is now an estab. lished fact. For the last five winters it has prac tically been carried out by the Chinese themselves under the supervision of the sanitary staff. On looking into the matter I find that last winter there was not any Select Committee appointed to consider any complaints that might arise, although in the previous winter
Ad
with
there had been such a committee. After con- sultation with the Medical Officer of Health we thought it advisable to amend the procedure this year
compared that of previous years, and I my say for the information of members that H. the Governor is in accord with what we decided to do. We have decided, in addition to cleansing the houses as we have hitherto done--that is to supply Jeyes' fluid and hot water to the Chinese so that they can cleanss the houses themselves we have decided that in addition to the houses being cleansed, the crevices and corners should be sprinkled with a solution of crude pheoy!. The object is to kill any fleas and eggs of fleas. All those who have studied plague have come to the conclusion that fleas are the most active agent in the transmission of plague from infected rats to man, so it behoves us to destroy fleas so far as we possibly can. Dr. Clark pointed out that we should destroy fleas in the houses, but what about the clothing We have offered the Chinese that we will, free of expense to them, disinfect their clothing and do it with as little inconvenience as possible, I have spoken on the subject to Hon. Dr. Ho Kai and one of the members of the Tang Wah Hospita', and they have agreed to help us in every way they possibly can. I think we must look to the two Chinese members of the Board to assist us in carrying out this measure. You know it is customary to give two days' notice, and if the houses are not cleansed in that time the sanitary staff undertake the work. It is proposed to amend the ordinary notice by an addition pointing out that fleas are an in termediary in spreading plague from infected rafs to man and that it is the wish of the Board to exterminate them if possible, and that clothes ought to be disinfected. I know that in
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
the past clothing has been spoiled in this way, and if such a committee as I move were appointed, it would consider complaints that may arise and make compensation where it was deemed proper. The Board has power under the bye-laws to compensate for any articles that are damaged. I may state that at the suggestion of the Governor this last paragraph concaruing fleas has been inserted in most Chines+ news- papers for about a week.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK-Do I understand that it is compulsory for the Chinese to hand over their clothes to be disinfected ?
The President-No; it is pure'y voluntary. That is why I ask the Chinese to co-operate with ns.
The Registrar General -I must say it took my breath away to find the Board consulted on the subject of this importance after apparently every arrangement had been made for it being carried out. It practically consists of a complete revolution of the system of cleansing which we have arrived at after a great deal of friction and after many trials of various kinds. I think it is a slight upon the Board that you, Sir, should come forward and treat it in this way. If there is to be any alteration in the system of cleansing as carried out, that question ought to be postponed until next meeting when the report can be considered.
The VICE-PR SIDENT President's motion.
The
KEGISTRAR GENERAL
secomled the
ад
proposed amendment that the question be postponed until next meeting.
Mr. Lau Chu-pak seconded.
Mr. HOOPER-I would like to ask you, Sir, whether the Sauitary Department or the Sani- lary Board has received any communication on this matter of fleas, and how it has been dealt with in India by the use of liquid fuel. Whether you are aware that the Government of India has found it very efficacious in connection with the destruction of fleas.
The PRESIDENT-Before the amendment is pat to the meeting I should like to make a few remarks on the statements of the Registrar- General. I am astonished that anyone in bis position should think for one moment that the President of this Board should attempt in any way to slight the Board. That has been far from my intention ever sincs I have been in this chair and I appeal to members present to whether
say
that is
80 or not. The reason why this change W18 was because less than LWO made
weeks
|
|
[November 3, 19 16.
ing and disinfecting operations are being carried out, but whether they could be done with more effect. I take it if we did not think this question necessary for the consideration of a committee the work would have been done by tas sanitary department without coming before the Board, I understand it is a qustion of a committee being appointed.
The PRESIDENT- That is the motion, and the Registrar-General practically proposes au amendment that consideration be postponed until next meeting. I think it is an argent matter, and as President of the Board would ask you to agree to pass my motion at this meeting.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL —I should not have moved for a postponement if it had not bean for the information you gave us about proposed changes in the cleansing operations, I don't intend to dispute with you on its theore- tical value, but the only practical way in which plague can be combatted, as has been found in India, is by the competent cooperation of the people who are affected by it. Any change which might affect good results should first be considered, and that is the reason I ask for a postponement.
Mr. LAU CHU-PAK-Sir, in former years--- The PRESIDENT-You are scarcely in order. There is a motion before the meeting.
The PRESIDENT explained that if the com. mittee were appointed to consider the question, and they found that the Chiness objected to the change, they could bring the matter be ore the Board and it would be remedied.
The amendment was then put to the meeting, and afterwards the motion, the former being carried.
Mr. HOOPER-Would you mind answering the question I put to you, Sir, about liquid fuel?
The PRESIDENT-The Medical Officer of Health has taken the advice of those we think most competent-the Public Works Depart- ment-and they have decided against its use on the ground that it is too inflammable.
Mr. HOOPEL -The question I put was whe ther that paper was addressed to the Board.
The PRESIDENT-Yes; I have given instruc- tions for it to be circulated. I take it that the carrying of the amendment practically means that cleansing operations are to cease for a fortnight. Is that the wish of the Board? It is most important that general clean-ing should not stop, and with your approval I shall give orders that cleansing shall go on under the old conditions.
Members agro ul.
A QUESTION OF HEALTH.
ago we received a report of the Indian Plague Commission which practically bore out the Mr. HUMPHREYS-About this liquid fuel, reason of my recommendation of this procedure you say you decided not to adopt it on to the Governor. As soon as I saw that report account of it being inflammable. One of the and read of the system now in force in India [opinions put forward in its favour is that it is felt it my duty to represent to his Excellency th not inflammable at all. measures taken by this most important commis- siop, which in its preliminary report drew atten- tion to the fact that fleas were the intermediary agent between infected rats and min. It had begu already found in the measure taken that this crude phenol had been most useful, and the only object I had in bringing it forward was to better the sanitary condition of the Colony.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-I am quite sure, Sir, all members of the Board will agree that what you've done has been in the best interests of the Colony, but at the same time I must confeng that when any radical change of this sort is med, it is batter we should have your statement
meeting ០ that able to discuss it and rote on it at the next; or batter still,
should be circulated. memorandum
we should
at one
be
巍
As
such has not been circulated the matter has been sprung upon us, and under the conditions it is very much better that consideration of it should be postponed till next meeting, or if you think the matter urgent a special meeting could
With regar 1 to the question of allowing the use of human excreta tor miring purposes, Messrs. Humphreys, Fung Wa chun and the Medical Officer of Hell were appointed a committee to consider the matter and report.
THE SCAVENGING CONTRACT.
The folowing letter was read from the scavenging contractor,
Hongkong, 11th October. Sir, I beg ruspsotfully to apply that the Sanitary Board may pay me at their earliest convenience the balance of my contract fee On the 1st and 9th instant due for last month. I was only paid $4,410 and $1,898.29 respectively. instead of the full amount, namely $7,35. [ do not know the object of the Board in keeping back my money, but I may point out that having lost heavily, in fact I may say all my capital, over this contract the only remnant of my capital being the boats and they have all been destroyed by the typhoon of the 18th ult, I am more in need of money than ever to pay my mea to continue the scavenging work. The The P&FSIDENT-I do not look upon it as a keeping back of the money by the oird can radical change uudertaken. The essence of only tend to place obstacles in my way in cleansing operations is to clear away filth from getting the work done expeditiously. But his houses while the process of killing fas is is not all I find that my sub-contractor merely a secondary operation. If members Sham In is being engaged by the Bard to think I have been remiss in not reporting this
do work at the exceptionally high rate of 60 to them I apologise for it. I cannot dò more. cents to $1 per cart load of refuse Hou. Mr. HEWET -There is no question of removed, and some of the dust cirts are taken apology.
away from me after eight o'clock in the Mr HOOPER-It seems to me we've rather morning. This naturally leads to my scavenging mistaken the question. We are not asked I work being further thrown out of order, as for to advise on the question as to whether cleans far better pay he takes away my scavengers to
be called.
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