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110
domestic supply. Although a Medical Officer, on considering
the Analyst's results, very often cannot put his
hand down and assert that a certain water is, at the
moment, actively dangerous to health, yet he can see
that it is merely surface water, and that it only requires a
start to become at once a focus for the dissemination of
disease. Here your Officers are often placed in a delicate
position, because, although they may perfectly clearly
see that such water should be shunned, yet they cannot
go into Court on a theory of what might happen, but
only on what is actually present at the moment, and
thus some obstinate people may go on daily courting
danger. The residents should be made aware that all
the well waters of the District are more or less undesirable,
and that it is exactly the refreshing flavour they
so much admire which is one of the danger signals.
The local wells are mostly practically charged only with
sulphates and nitrates, and the latter, while giving the
cooling taste so relished by the owners, are (except in
Artesian wells) nothing more than the representatives of
previous contamination, and the indication that what
has occurred before may very readily do so again. If
this plain warning, from a perfectly unprejudiced person,
be taken by some of the persons who at present continue
to nurse the serpent likely to bite them in the future, it
will be a considerable aid to the exertions so ably made
by your Medical Officers to secure a high standard of
health in your District.
(3) Use of the Act by the Public.—During the year
two persons have taken advantage of the provisions of
the Act by obtaining analyses of milk at the statutory fee.
I have the honor to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN MUTER, Ph.D., F.I.C., F.C.S.,
Public Analyst.