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Ice-cream Except for a small quantity of ice-cream manufactured by a local, producer and vended only by him, all ice-cream sold in Kaikoura is obtained from one or other of the wholesale manufacturers in Christchurch. Other Foods The production and distribution of other foods calls for no special comment. The township is supplied by two butchers, three bakeries, at one of which only pastries and small-goods are produced, and by one fish-shop. There are five small restaurants and tea-rooms. Flies Although complaints have been made from time to time as to the manner of disposal of nightsoil by the contractor, no evidence of fly-breeding was noted at the disposal site immediately prior to or during the outbreak. Previous Cases of Typhoid Fever in the District The only notified cases of typhoid occurring in Kaikoura and the surrounding district during the previous five years were two —one in 1944, the other in December, 1946. The former had left the district at least a year before the outbreak occurred. The second was discharged from the local hospital in late January, 1947, and was stated to be non-infectious at the time of discharge, since when he had lived at a farm some three miles outside the township. This picture was somewhat complicated by the number of ex-servicemen who had served overseas either in the Pacific islands, Middle East, or Italy during the last war. Information subsequently obtained from Service authorities indicated that none of them had had typhoid fever during their period of military service. Administration The local sanitary authority both for Kaikoura itself and for the county is the Kaikoura County Council. It is charged with the administration of the Health Act, is responsible for supervision of water-supplies, general sanitary services, of food shops, and in part with the control of infectious disease. Conjointly with several other counties it employs a Sanitary Inspector, who is resident in Rangiora some 90 miles south. The county is part of the Canterbury - West Coast Health District, which is administered from Christchurch. The District Medical Officer of Health acts in an advisory capacity on health matters to local sanitary authorities in his district and, in addition, administers the Food and Drugs Act. His responsibility for the quality and safety of the milk-supply begins only at the farm gate. As previously stated, control of production is in the hands of the Department of Agriculture. Samples of water, milk, or other foods taken by the Sanitary Inspector (who acts in his district as a Food and Drugs Officer for the Department of Health) have to be taken for examination to the Government Analyst (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research) at Christchurch. The local hospital is one of many similar ones administered by the-North Canterbury Hospital Board. It has normally no laboratory facilities, bacteriological specimens having to be sent by road or rail from Kaikoura to the central laboratory maintained by the Hospital Board at their main hospital in Christchurch.
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