Report of the Commissioner of Health, Kingston, Jamaica / [James Scott].

  • Scott, James.
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioner of Health, Kingston, Jamaica / [James Scott]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    Doctor Somervillo possessed a liigh sense of honor, and alwfij-s shewed an nusw .'i viuy regard for truth, wliich gave either to his professional statements or to his Oificial Reports and Returns that stamp of reliability, so characteristic of a high and honorable mind. 26. In the Town of Port Royal, there were three cases of Small-pox diuing the year, and Doctor Altman, tlie Health Officer under whose care they were, has furnished me with a statement, shewing tlie dates of their admission into the temporary Small- pox Hospital, and the results of treatment. They were sent thereby Doctor Altman respectively on the 16th of April, and on the 15tli and 18th May. All of them recovered, and on the 21st June, the Hospital, as well as the Town, was free of the disease, and has continued so to the present tinie. 27. There is no evidence of the fact, but, as Small-pox was prevailing almost epidemically in the Parish of St. Catherine during those months, it is not improbable that, from the fiee intercourse that existed and still exists between the two places, the disease was imported into Port Royal. The inhabitants were evidently as insusceptible of Small-pox infection, as they were in 1874, and therefore there was fortunately no propagation of the disease among tliem in the Town. 28. The Wakes' Law 27 of 1873 is still in force in the City and Parish of Kingston, but no Wakes have been reported by the Constabulary as having been held from the commencement of the year. The legal proceedings that were taken in 1874, against those who had,infringed the Law, have evidently had a deterrmg ellect. 29. It came to my knowledge, however, on the 5th Novem- ber, that a Wake was held in Oxford St)-eet on the night of the 7th October, and that proceedings having been taken in the Police Court against the parties concerned, and the case heard before the Police ]\Iagistrate on the 4th November, it was dis- missed through insufficient evidence given by the Con- stables. 30. The fact of the holding of a Wake, of which the Consta- bles were cognizant, not having been communicated to me by any of their Officers, led me to address a letter, of date 5th No- vember, to the Inspector of the Force, requesting an explanation, which was at once afforded, viz : that he was not aware of the Rule with regard to the holding of Wakes, which had been laid down in 1874 for the guidance of his predecessor, by the Inspector-Gfc- neral of Constabulary. 31. I have now to bring to the notice of the ]3oard the Re-