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53
[1896
2.—That it should be one of the requirements from parents of scholars that they
should give notice to the Head Master or Mistress immediately on their
becoming aware of the fact that Measles is in their houses.
3.—That on receipt of such notice the Master or Mistress should give information
thereof to the Medical Officer of Health.
4.—That when any child is absent from School on the plea of illness, a letter
from the parents or a certificate from a medical man should be required,
stating the name of such illness.
5.—That a child who has suffered from Measles should not be allowed to re-enter
the School without producing a certificate from a medical man, stating that
he or she can do so without danger of infecting others.
6.— That children should not be allowed to attend School from a house in which
Measles is known to exist, as, although not ill themselves, they are very likely
to carry the infection to others, and to spread the disease.
7.—During the hours in which a School-room is not occupied the doors and
windows should be opened as widely as possible, so that the room may be
thoroughly ventilated. It is desirable that in all School-rooms there should
be means for cross ventilation.
8.—During the winter months School-rooms should always be kept warm and comfortable
by means of open fires or Btoves. It is a false notion to suppose that
a number of children in a room is sufficient to keep it warm; no doubt the
temperature will be raised, but this is done by the extraction of the heat from
the bodies of the children, which cannot but be injurious to their health,
whereas an open fire, whilst heating a room and keeping the children warm,
also acts very efficiently as a means of ventilation.
9.—Cleanliness amongst tho scholars should be especially instisted upon, both as
regards their clothes and persons. The greater the cleanliness of a School
and of the scholars attending it, the less likelihood there will be of Measles
spreading, should it by any chance be introduced therein.
10.—The School-room floors, desks, and forms should be thoroughly cleansed with
soap and water, mixed with disinfectants, and the walls brushed down at least
once a week ; and at the end of each week the rooms should bo disinfected
with the fumes of burning sulphur.
ALFRED E. HARRIS.
Medical Officer of Health.
Public Heath Department,
Vestry Hall, Upper Street, N.,
\bth January, 1896.
The Head Teacher of Gifford Street Bond School, finding that in some respects these
recommendations went farther than tho Board's secret instructions to their staff—I say
"secret"—for up to the receipt of the Board's letter I was not aware of their existence,
and so far as 1 can learn they had never been divulged to the Sanitary Authorities or their
Medical Officers of Health.