View report page

16
certain extent, preventible. It has been stated that
from 85 to 99 per cent. of the children were at birth
both fit and well, and it has been found that a child
might be born healthy, although at the time its
mother might be suffering from some disease. One
great and important point is to educate people
generally, and more particularly the poor, to the
necessity of pasteurizing their milk before use, or
sterilizing it, bringing it almost to the boiling point,
but not allowing it to boil; this has the effect of
destroying any germs which may exist. Samples of
milk have been too frequently found which have contained
the tubercle bacillus, and which are capable of
being the cause of tuberculosis in the human being,
when the cows may be suffering from the same complaint.
When samples of milk are impure and
dirty, it may be accounted for by the dirty condition
of the cowsheds and premises where the cows are
kept, and the milk stored.
Whilst the general death rate has been so satisfactorily
reduced since the passing of the "Public
Health Act," that of infants has been about the
same, and in some cases actually risen. The appointment
of trained health visitors, to supervise and coordinate
existing efforts to deal with the question of
infantile mortality in connection with the Notification
of Birth Act, will prove a necessity in all large and
important parishes.
Slaughter Houses.
There are seven in the parish; all are systematically
inspected, and are kept in accordance with the
provisions of the Bye-laws relating to Slaughter
Houses. I consider that the slaughtering of animals