42

•H.—3l

Numerical Summary of Routine Work done. Number of towns and districts visited.. .. .-.. .. .. 62 „ visits paid .. .. .. .. .. .. 145 ~ inspections made .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,746 ~ defects remedied .. .. .. .. .. .. 640 ~ visits paid to infectious cases ... . . .. . . 366 „ disinfections supervised . . . . . . . . .. 262 ~ letters despatched .. .. .. . . .. 2,034 „ ~ received .. • .. .. . . .. . . 1,261 Frank Ogston, District Health Officer.

PART E.—REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER IN CHARGE OF TE WAIKATO SANATORIUM, Sir, — Te Waikato Sanatorium. I have the honour to submit the report of the work of Te Waikato Sanatorium during the year ending 31st March, 1910. At the close of the preceding year there remained in the Sanatorium 26 males and 16 females —42 patients in all. During the year under review there were admitted 60 male and 37 female patients, so that a total of 139 patients received treatment during the year. Fiftyfour males and 44 females were discharged, and 7 patients (6 males and 1 female) died during the same time. On the 31st March, 1910, 34 patients were under treatment in the institution, these consisting of 26 males and 8 females. Of those discharged, 35 males and 32 females left the Sanatorium with their health very greatly improved, most of them being in a fit condition to return to ordinary life with a fair prospect of maintaining the improvement resulting from their treatment. Six males and 5 females improved to some extent during their stay in the Sanatorium, but their improvement could not be considered to be of a permanent character. Thirteen males and 7 females showed no response to the treatment, receiving no apparent benefit to their health by their stay in the institution. The greater number of the deaths were due to haemorrhage, either from sudden profuse bleeding or from subsequent pneumonia and congestion of the lungs. One patient died of chronic nephritis, and one from a perforation of a tuberculous intestinal ulcer. Towards the close of the year the number of applications for admission to the Sanatorium appeared to have fallen off to a very considerable extent, and it is to be regretted that the institution is not now working to its full capacity. Were this due to a lack of patients requiring treatment it would be a matter for congratulation, but unfortunately lam afraid this is not the case. The falling-away of applicants is, in my opinion, due partly to the opening of similar institutions in other parts of the Dominion, to a more strict enforcement of the rule of only admitting cases showing a fair prospect of recovery, and, I am afraid, also to quite erroneous reports which have been freely circulated regarding the future administration of the Sanatorium. Your proposal to introduce in this Sanatorium a system of graduated labour is, I think, a most excellent one, and one which, if properly carried out, will result in greatly increasing the usefulness of the institution. I feel sure that when the true nature of the proposed change becomes more fully known and appreciated there will be no lack of patients eager to enter the Sanatorium and confident in the prospect of receiving lasting benefit from the treatment. The appointment of a resident Medical Officer will, I think, be essential to the success of the scheme, as, in my opinion, it is not possible for a visiting officer to efficiently prescribe the amounts, and supervise the proper carrying-out, of the work suitable for each patient individually. I have, &c, Edward E. Roberts, M.8., Ch., The Chief Health Officer. Medical Superintendent.

APPENDIX -lII.—THE SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACT. The Department during the past year has gazetted regulations dealing with the labelling of jam, and manufacturers have been notified as to the new requirements. Regulations dealing with labelling in general have been prepared, and also for standards of purity of a number of foodstuffs. These, however, have not yet been gazetted, since it has been deemed better to wait the report of the Interstate Conference on such regulations held in Australia during May, since it is obvious that it would be of advantage to manufacturers if the regulations under which foodstuffs are sold were identical in all parts of Australasia. The report of the Conference is now under consideration, and the regulations will shortly be ready for gazetting. An investigation of an elaborate nature was conducted during the spring months —September, October, November, and December —as to the quality of milk-samples obtained actually at the farm. Samples were taken at both morning and evening milkings, the mixed product of from five to ten cows