HEALTH OF RICHMOND
DUTIES OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND OFFICERS.
TOWN CLERK HITS BACK AT “AGE” CRITICISM.
Answering in full the recent criticisms of the “Age” newspaper on the administration of the health laws in Richmond, Mr. C. C. Blazey submitted a report to the Richmond Council on Monday night.
“Regarding the criticism in the ‘Age’ newspaper,” said Mr. Blazey, “on the need for improved administration of the health laws relating to infectious diseases by municipalities, I beg to explain by direction the methods adopted in Richmond.
“The health officer, who is paid a salary at the rate of £100 per annum, calls at the town hall between 9 and 9.30 a.m. daily to ascertain what reports of infectious disease have been received by me. He personally visits the home of every infected person and traces, if possible, the source of infection. Inquiries are made as to the precautions advised by the medical attendant if the patient be in the home, and gives directions when necessary to the sanitary inspector to require improvement in ventilation, drainage and papering of walls. The sanitary inspector calls also on the same morning and gives directions to the person employed for that purpose to have the room occupied by the patient, if patient removed to Infectious Diseases Hospital, fumigated (at the expense of the council).
“Over 99 per cent. of the patients are removed to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, and where there is no need to remove the patient to the hospital or the parents object, directions are given to have the patient isolated, and whoever acts as nurse is also isolated as far as practicable. Contacts in the house are also isolated as far as practicable until non-infectious, and the room or rooms are fumigated immediately after the recovery of the patient. In cases of consumption steps are taken to have the patient removed to Greenvale or the Heatherton Sanatorium, as the case demands, and the walls of the room occupied by the patient are cleaned with dough and the floor and skirting boards washed with phenyle. Where a school child is infected and a carrier is suspected, the whole class at school had frequently been swabbed and the swabs are forwarded to the Government Laboratory.
“On occasion when milk was suspected to have been the cause of an outbreak of typhoid fever, the retail dairyman was prevented from selling any more milk, and the Board of Health traced a carrier to a Gippsland dairy farm.
“The ‘Age’ article commends the Prahran Council’s action to other municipalities as a guide, but when the figures are examined Richmond last year compared very favourably with Prahran. In Prahran last year there were 279 cases of diphtheria, while Richmond had 244 cases reported. Prahran’s death rate was 8 per 1000 of the population, while Richmond, which is admittedly a densely populated district and one difficult to effectually drain, had a death rate last year of only 7.97 per 1000. The infantile mortality rate of Prahran is not stated, but Richmond’s last year was 61.7 per 1000. In Great Britain last year the rate was 91 per 1000, which was the lowest every recorded. Prahran has two inspectors to Richmond’s one. While it is admitted better results could be obtained if another inspector were appointed, it must not be forgotten that in Richmond a baby clinic has been established and a qualified nurse is now giving her whole time to this district. This will add £100 to £125 yearly to the cost of health administration, to say nothing of the cost of the supply of milk for infants.
“During last year the sanitary inspector served 52 notices to have drainage improved, 32 to clean up the premises, and 123 for repairs and improvements to houses.
“The Health Officer agrees with me that during the winter months it may be possible to detect carriers at the schools if more swabs were taken, and in this direction it may be possible to get the nurse to take swabs of school children under the direction of the health officer.
“The Richmond Council was the means of a conference of municipal representatives taking evidence from medical practitioners of the best method of detecting the existence of diphtheria carriers and as a result the building of an isolation home for carriers at the Infectious Diseases Hospital was recommended, and it is understood the hospital. authorities intend acting accordingly.
Consumption.
“This council was also instrumental in a recommendation of municipal representatives being forwarded to the Government for the establishment of a farm colony where persons who have been convalescent may obtain light employment instead of being allowed to return to unhealthy localities. The council constructed swimming and hot water baths and a gymnasium, and these utilities may be fairly classed under the heading of health administration. The baths cost over £2000 and the gymnasium £500. School children during school hours are allowed free admission to the baths, while a nominal charge is made for tuition in physical culture and gymnastics. Neither pays, but it was not anticipated when they were built that they would pay. As regards underground drainage, £100,000 had been expended on it and more is being expended almost annually.
“It should be admitted that Richmond has not been unmindful of its responsibilities, nor altogether lacking in its duty to the citizens and the community in its administration of the health laws, but on the contrary it has in many instances done more than the municipal laws require.”
Councillors expressed the opinion that the statement was a complete vindication of Richmond’s position, and complimented the Town Clerk on his comprehensive and convincing reply.
Source: Richmond Guardian (Vic); Sat 8 June 1918 (Page 4)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/93813807
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