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October 3, 1908.]
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on Sept. 30th at the Board Room, Mr. C. Mol Messer (President) presided, and there were also. present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, C. M. G, (Vice-President), Lieut Col. Beid, the Hon. Mr. H. A. W. Blade, Messrs. A. Shelton Hooper, Lau Cha Pak, Fung Wa Chun, H. Humphreys, Dr. Pearse (Medical Officer of Health), and the following officials: Dr. Macfarlane (Assistant Medical Officer of Health), and A. Gibson (Secretary).
QUESTIONS.
Mr. Hoopne asked the following questions : "Whether any arrangement has been made whereby any officers of the Sanitary Depart ment are required to asscertain and report on nuisances under Part III of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance 1903-1908 for the in- formation of the Building Authority ?
"It BO,
has such arrangement received the Banotion of His Excellency the Governor, and will the particulars of such arrangement be laid before the Board for their information ?"
The PRESIDENT replied that the answer to both questions was "Yes," but the questions having been forwarded to the Government the ollowing rules concerning the reports to be mude to the Building Authority by sanitary inspectors had been returned:
In all cases enquiries should be made before- hand as to whether modifications have been granted covering the apparently illegal point. Whenever possible, measurements in support of the report should be given and the inspector should state where possible who, in his opinion, has caused the nuisance.
The following were among the rules: "Concrete of ground surfaces—Where floors and yards are reasonably clean no defects to be reported unless (a) some portion of the oɔncrete is entirely destroyed, or (b) at least one square yard is in a very defective state, or (c) the surface of a considerable area is in a defective state, or (d) there is evidence of rat ruas, Where fors are liable to be in a filthy con dition by reason of soy trade carried on, or where it is essential that they should be main. tained in good condition, such as in bakeries, all defects are to be reported. A brief statement of the nature and extent of the defects should however be given.
Kitchen hoods and flues-No reports to be made regarding these except in the case of eating houses or other trades for which fires must be maintained, unless & complaint has been received from some neighbouring ooonpier.
Waste pipes-Choked pipes to be dealt with by Sanitary Department under domestic clean- liness byelaws. Reports to Building Authority to be limited to broken pipes.
Glazed areas-No report to be made as regards sashes not being glazed unless (8) they have been boarded up or otherwise obstructed, or (b) the tenants complain of the want of glazing.
It was decided that the rules be circulated, DISPOSAL OF REFUSE.
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▲ letter was received from the Government relative to the purchase of steam lighters for the disposal of city refuse. It read as follows:
"With reference to the report of the committee appointed to consider various tenders submitted in connection with the disposal of city refuse dated 8th July, 1907, and to the con- sequent proposal to purchase three steam lighters for the disposal at sea of the refuse from the City and Hill District of the Colony, I am directed to state for the information of the Sanitary Board, that, in view of the recent latting of the scavenging contract at reduced figures, and of the large capital outlay which would be involved in the noquisition of the steam lighters recommended by "the committee, the Government proposes to hold the project in abeyance.
DISINFECTION OF PREMISES.
The report of the committee appointed to report on the bye-laws governing the disinfec- tion of infected premises, etc., was submitted. The committee append d ́a draft of the revised byelaws which were signed by Mr. H. Humphreys, the Registrar General, the Medical Officer of Health, and Mr. Lau Chn Pak.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH (who was a member of this committee) forwarded a
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
H.
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Mr. BLADE asked if there were any rea SONA for inserting that clause ?
letter to the President of the Board stating that ¡ of England. He thought they should be entitled he had signed, with the other members, the to quo it report, as he found himself in agreement with the bye-laws as far as they went. wished, however, to add that in his opinion measles, whooping cough and peuperal fever should be included in the definition of “spidemic, endemic, contagious and infectious diseases" and contained in bye-law I under the head "Dis infection of infected premises," and bye-law 5 under the head "Removal of patients."
Mr. SLADE minuted-Measles and whooping cough oan at any time be brought under this definition by special resolution if considered
nsgessary.
Mr. HOOPER-I do not think measles or whooping cough should be included in the definition.
The MEDICAL OFFICER of HEALTH stated that measles and whooping cough were not frequently notified and he did not anticipate they were likely to beoɔme epidemic. Conse- quently there did not seem to be mach ground for calling a special meeting of the Board to have these diseases included in the list, but t ey ought to have power to deal with individual cases as they arose. They had to consider the protection they had to give to others and to the children themselves. These two diseases accoun- ted for more deaths among children than all the other infectious diseases taken together. With regard to puerperal fever it was infectious although not so frequent and he thought it should be included in the list.
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Mr. HOOPER asked if the M. O. H. could tell whether measles and whooping cough were more prevalent in Hongkong than in England. The Doctor had referred to the practice in England but he would remind him that the Local Government Board had not included those two diseases in the list of infectious digresses to be notified.
The REGISTRAR GENREAL thought sleeping sickness and yellow fever were also rare, but that was no reason why they should not be included in the list.
The MEDICAL OFFICES OF HEALTH replied that he had not the figures beside him, but he could tell Mr. Hooper that measles and whooping cough were more prevalent in cold climates than in warm climates. With regard to Mr. Hooper's contention that the Local Government Board had not made the notification of measles and whooping cough compulsory, they had left it to the discretion of the local authorities, some of whom had made it compulsory and sɔme had not.
The motion that puerperal fever be added to the list was carried, but the motion for the inclusion of measles and whooping cough was defeated.
BURNING JO88 STICKS IN CEMETERIES.
On the report of the committee appointed to consider the cemetery bye-laws being presented,
Mr. Hoorer said he disagreed with the mi jority of the members of the committee with regard to clause 12, probibiting the burning of joss sticks in the Colonial Cemetery. It was a Chinese custom, and was not a part of Chris- tianity. There were many cemeteries in the colony where he could be buried with those rites and no one would mind, but if Chinese preferred to be baried in the Colonial Cemetery which recognised no racial di <«tinction nor creed, and among reputed Christians whose relatives went to the graves to pay their respects to the departed, it was not right that they should do so surrounded with customs belonging to another religion, and he thought they should not allow it. If the Board took a different view he would not go so far as to say that this praction should be prohibited altogether, but should be restricted to one section. He used the term “joss stick,” and the only difference between the majority and himself was in one word. He did not like to use the word incense stick, although that was the correct definition of joss stick, because the word incense was employed by various Chris tian denominations. Whilst the Roman Catholics had their cemetery he would not object to them coming in to the Colonial Cemetery, yet if that clause were carried as framed it would prohibit them. The Church of England varied from high ritual to low ritual denominations and, as they know, some of those used incense. If they need the word "incense" in the connection that he was speaking of, they could cut out a large proportion of the Church
The PRESIDENT replied that Mr. Hooper had complained to him about joss sticks being burned, and crackers fired in the Colonial Cemetery.
Mr. HOOPER-I have had more than one complaint about it. I have witnessed it myself. The HEGISTRAK GENERAL—Are non Chris- tian Chinese buried in the Colonial Cemetery ?
Mr. FUNG WA Chun-Some are.
The PRESIDENT—Âs a matter of fact thare is dothing to stop a Chinaman from being barled there.
The REGISTRAR GENERAL-As a matter of fact are non-Christian Chinese buried in the Protestant Cemetery ?
The PRESIDENT-You mean the Colonial Cemetery? There is no such thing as a Protes- tan Cemetery.
Mr. FURG WA CHON-Most of them are Christians.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK – Many of them are not. Mr. HOOPER-That strengthens my argu- meat.
The PRESIDENT-I move that the report of the committee be adopted.
The VICE President seconded. Mr. HOOPER moved as an amendment to olades 12 that the word "josa stiok” be substitu- ted for 'incense" stick.
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Mr. HUMPHREYS seconded. The amendment was carried.
WATER TANKS IN BACK YARDS. The COLONIAL SNorstary wrote as follows regarding this question:-"I am directed to inquire what opinion the Sanitary Board hold with regard to the minimum ares of yard in which the construction of cisterns may be permitted by the Building Authority without reference to the Board. The Director of Pablic Works in disposed to suggest an area of 60 square feet as the minimum."
The MEDICAL Orries of HEALTH minated – Host back yards in the Colony are little more than ventilating shafts, and the sreation of cisterns of reasonable size in them will not appreciably detract from their value as such. The yard should, however, not be obstructed to such a degree with cisterns and latrines as to leare insufficient space for the temporarily plac- ingiu of other things, which it may be undesir able to keep in a room or kitchen, so as to leave no space for moving about in a yard. Sometimes we find almost the whole of a yard taken up by a large tsok used for trade purposes. I think such should be permitted only specially and not generally. For general purposes I suggest that 60 square feet be taken as a minimum sized yard, and that the tank be not more than three feit square and four feet high; this would hold about 125 gallons of water. The tank should have a god cover so as to prevent con. tamination by flashing of dirty water from upper floors, and ought to have an automatic anti-reflux ialet, so as to do away with the necessity of anovering to fill it. The position of the tank in the yard with relation to privies, waste pipes, etc., is important, and none should b permitted before their positions have been approved.
REOCCUPATION OF HOUSES.
petition WILS forwarded from several Chinese praying that their houses at Hok Un might be released.
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Dr. MACFARLANE reported that he had made a survey of the place and found that there were 1,00 persons living in 212 huts. The general sanitary conditions were in many cases very bad indeed, and it would be quite useless trying to improve them. The walls were loose stones, making rat runs, sad the floors were of mud. They were certainly overcrowded in many places. The village appeared to be a cheap lodging house for cement works and dook Godlies. As the closure was made on account of plague he did not think there would be any risk in opening them for the next five months so
far as plag us was concerned, but he considered that steps should be taken to remove this village, as it was far too close to : the ordinary built-over area. The village type plan could be used in its place. The few who wee genuine villagers and the coolies could get. permanent floors at the rate of about 20 to for under the new law which d.d not make it
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