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The Worcester health congress
I74
THE
t)ttblit THE
WORCESTER
altb.
WORCESTER HEALTH
CONGRESS.
THE Congress of the Sanitary Institute opened at Worcester, on Sunday, the =2nd of September. The Mayor, the Corporation, the citizens of the faitlaful city, with representatives of the Institute, formed a procession, and attended the cathedral with much state and ceremony, and the Rev. Canon Creighton delivered an eloquent sermon. O n Tuesday, the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Day, received the members of the Congress in the Guildhall, and there was a public luncheon. I n the afternoon the exhibition was formally opened by the Mayor, and in the evening the inaugural address was given by Mr. G. W. Hastings, M.P. On Wednesday, September 25th , Dr. George Wilson, President of Section I., gave his opening address, " T h e Policy of Prevention in Some of its Social and Sanitary Aspects," after which Dr. Strange read a paper on the "Results of Fifteen Years Sanitary Effort in the City of Worcester" ; Dr. Arlidge a paper on " T h e Sanitary Aspects of the Pottery Manufacture" ; Mr. W. E Axon on " The Transmission by Flesh Foods of Diseases from Animals to M a n " ; Mr. Justice Cunningham on " T h e Public Health in India, with Special Reference to the European Armies." There was a garden party in the afternoon at Lord Beauchamp's seat, Madresfield Court, and a conversazione at the Guildhall. On Thursday, September 26th, there was an address by Mr. Henry James Martin, the president of the Engineering Section ; papers on sewage disposal by Professor Robinson, Mr. Henry Law, and Mr. Robert Godfrey. Mr. Newton, F.S.A., also read a somewhat eccentric paper on " T h e Errors of Exposing Sewage to Light and Air," and Mr. Reeves detailed experiments on sewer ventilation. On this day also the Conference ot the Medical Officers of Health took place, fully reported in this issue. I n the evening a lecture was given by Sir Douglas Galton, it was an admirable resum~ of the more important epochs of our sanitary history, and presented in a popular form the chief results of the labours of the hygienist. Sir Douglas concluded his address as follows : The prevention of disease is a different function from the cure of disease ; and it is scarcely compatiblewith the requirements of professional avocations that the persons charged with watching over the prevention of disease should be engaged in private practice. The Medical"Officer of ttealth ought to give his whole time to his duties. If he is to perform these duties efficiently, he must have devoted many years and much attention to the acquirementof scientificknowledge, and he must have learned how to apply that knowledge to practical sanitation. You cannot obtain these qualificatiovs unless you are willing to remunerate your medical officers adequately, and to give to the position permanenceand importance.
H E A L T H CONGRESS. Similarly the Sanitary Inspector, or the Inspector of Nuisances, who is the eye and right hand of the Medical Officer of Health, must have a certain amount of scientific knowledge, combinedwith much practical experience, if he is to exercise his duties effectively. The possesdon of these qualifieatlons should be made a necessary contingencyof the appointment of every Sanitary Inspector, and these qualificationscan only be obtained provided you adequately remunerate your Sanitary Inspectors. At the present time, when CountyCouncilshave had placed upon them the supervisionover the sanitation of counties, it is esl:eciallynecessary that they should take an enlarged and comprehensiveview of the duties so laid upon them. I have endeavoured to show you that so far as money is concerned, a diminished death rate from preventabledisease, and diminished sickness, means an actual pecuniary gain to the community ; but you should consider also the moral side of the question. The healthy body is'the necessary casket for the healthy mind, and in order that the nation may advance in education, in sobriety, in morality, and in all those qualities which go to form the true happiness of the people, you should direct all your efforts to abolish preventable disease, and to carry sanitation into all your towns anal villages. O n Friday Dr. Tripe delivered an interesting address, entitled "Winds, with some remarks on their sanitary effects," which we much regret not being able to publish in extenso; and paper~ were read on various matters connected with meteoro logy, water supply, and sewage. A few of the more valuable papers will appear in abstract or in full in PUBLIC HEALTH ; they will all be published in the transactions of the Sanitary Institute. Some of the contributions were of great merit, and important additions to sanitary literature ; others were not worth listening to, still less printing ; but the inequality of contributions to a Congress is an inseparable evil of attempting to popularise a technical study. As a whole, the Congress at Worcester was a remarkable success. All classes of society took part in it with great heartiness. The town was illuminated nightly, the procession of cyclists, the display of bunting, and the Venetian boat spectacle on the river imparted that carnival element so dear to the masses. Unless the principles of hygiene are understood and practised by the people, sanitation can make no progress. Congresses of this kind popularise sanitary science, tend to create an interest in the general subject, and hence are worthy of special Support by those whose public duty it is to enforce the sanitary laws.
TvPItOlD FEVER AT BUDAPESTtI.--It is stated that typhoid fever has broken out in the suburbs of Budapesth, and that the cause is specific contamination of the water supply. STEEL PAVEMENTS.--Asphalt and wood have had their reign as suitable materials for pavements. There is now a proposal to try steel. The steel pavement is to be constructed of bands of steel laid transversely, the surface being furrowed to afford a hold for the feet of the horses.
THE
t)ttblit THE
WORCESTER
altb.
WORCESTER HEALTH
CONGRESS.
THE Congress of the Sanitary Institute opened at Worcester, on Sunday, the =2nd of September. The Mayor, the Corporation, the citizens of the faitlaful city, with representatives of the Institute, formed a procession, and attended the cathedral with much state and ceremony, and the Rev. Canon Creighton delivered an eloquent sermon. O n Tuesday, the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Day, received the members of the Congress in the Guildhall, and there was a public luncheon. I n the afternoon the exhibition was formally opened by the Mayor, and in the evening the inaugural address was given by Mr. G. W. Hastings, M.P. On Wednesday, September 25th , Dr. George Wilson, President of Section I., gave his opening address, " T h e Policy of Prevention in Some of its Social and Sanitary Aspects," after which Dr. Strange read a paper on the "Results of Fifteen Years Sanitary Effort in the City of Worcester" ; Dr. Arlidge a paper on " T h e Sanitary Aspects of the Pottery Manufacture" ; Mr. W. E Axon on " The Transmission by Flesh Foods of Diseases from Animals to M a n " ; Mr. Justice Cunningham on " T h e Public Health in India, with Special Reference to the European Armies." There was a garden party in the afternoon at Lord Beauchamp's seat, Madresfield Court, and a conversazione at the Guildhall. On Thursday, September 26th, there was an address by Mr. Henry James Martin, the president of the Engineering Section ; papers on sewage disposal by Professor Robinson, Mr. Henry Law, and Mr. Robert Godfrey. Mr. Newton, F.S.A., also read a somewhat eccentric paper on " T h e Errors of Exposing Sewage to Light and Air," and Mr. Reeves detailed experiments on sewer ventilation. On this day also the Conference ot the Medical Officers of Health took place, fully reported in this issue. I n the evening a lecture was given by Sir Douglas Galton, it was an admirable resum~ of the more important epochs of our sanitary history, and presented in a popular form the chief results of the labours of the hygienist. Sir Douglas concluded his address as follows : The prevention of disease is a different function from the cure of disease ; and it is scarcely compatiblewith the requirements of professional avocations that the persons charged with watching over the prevention of disease should be engaged in private practice. The Medical"Officer of ttealth ought to give his whole time to his duties. If he is to perform these duties efficiently, he must have devoted many years and much attention to the acquirementof scientificknowledge, and he must have learned how to apply that knowledge to practical sanitation. You cannot obtain these qualificatiovs unless you are willing to remunerate your medical officers adequately, and to give to the position permanenceand importance.
H E A L T H CONGRESS. Similarly the Sanitary Inspector, or the Inspector of Nuisances, who is the eye and right hand of the Medical Officer of Health, must have a certain amount of scientific knowledge, combinedwith much practical experience, if he is to exercise his duties effectively. The possesdon of these qualifieatlons should be made a necessary contingencyof the appointment of every Sanitary Inspector, and these qualificationscan only be obtained provided you adequately remunerate your Sanitary Inspectors. At the present time, when CountyCouncilshave had placed upon them the supervisionover the sanitation of counties, it is esl:eciallynecessary that they should take an enlarged and comprehensiveview of the duties so laid upon them. I have endeavoured to show you that so far as money is concerned, a diminished death rate from preventabledisease, and diminished sickness, means an actual pecuniary gain to the community ; but you should consider also the moral side of the question. The healthy body is'the necessary casket for the healthy mind, and in order that the nation may advance in education, in sobriety, in morality, and in all those qualities which go to form the true happiness of the people, you should direct all your efforts to abolish preventable disease, and to carry sanitation into all your towns anal villages. O n Friday Dr. Tripe delivered an interesting address, entitled "Winds, with some remarks on their sanitary effects," which we much regret not being able to publish in extenso; and paper~ were read on various matters connected with meteoro logy, water supply, and sewage. A few of the more valuable papers will appear in abstract or in full in PUBLIC HEALTH ; they will all be published in the transactions of the Sanitary Institute. Some of the contributions were of great merit, and important additions to sanitary literature ; others were not worth listening to, still less printing ; but the inequality of contributions to a Congress is an inseparable evil of attempting to popularise a technical study. As a whole, the Congress at Worcester was a remarkable success. All classes of society took part in it with great heartiness. The town was illuminated nightly, the procession of cyclists, the display of bunting, and the Venetian boat spectacle on the river imparted that carnival element so dear to the masses. Unless the principles of hygiene are understood and practised by the people, sanitation can make no progress. Congresses of this kind popularise sanitary science, tend to create an interest in the general subject, and hence are worthy of special Support by those whose public duty it is to enforce the sanitary laws.
TvPItOlD FEVER AT BUDAPESTtI.--It is stated that typhoid fever has broken out in the suburbs of Budapesth, and that the cause is specific contamination of the water supply. STEEL PAVEMENTS.--Asphalt and wood have had their reign as suitable materials for pavements. There is now a proposal to try steel. The steel pavement is to be constructed of bands of steel laid transversely, the surface being furrowed to afford a hold for the feet of the horses.