asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the regulations at present observed by Dublin Health Authority regarding the treatment of sewage disposal to eliminate the risk of typhoid infection; and whether he will consider modernising these regulations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Sewage Disposal Regulations.
50.
I understand that there are no regulations specifically regarding the treatment of sewage disposal observed by Dublin Health Authority. The absence of such regulations in no way serves to increase the risk of typhoid infection inasmuch as typhoid fever cannot be contracted unless the organism that causes it is ingested.
Under the Health (Duties of Officers) Order, 1949, it is a duty of the chief medical officer of a health authority to inform himself as respects all influences affecting or threatening to affect injuriously the public health and as respects the causes, origin and distribution of diseases in his area; furthermore, under the Infectious Diseases Regulations, 1948, on becoming aware of a probable source of infection with an infectious disease in his district, the chief medical officer has wide powers for making such inquiries and taking such steps as are necessary or desirable for preventing the spread of infection and for removing conditions favourable to infection.