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88
I beg to submit a report on the letter of the London County
Council, dated 27th March, 1905, On the Cleansing of persons Act,
1897. The County Council suggest that the Borough Councils might
avail themselves more fully of the provisions of the Act.
The object of the Act is therein stated to be "to permit Local
Authorities to provide Cleansing and Disinfection for Persons
infested with Vermin," and for this purpose the Act provides that
"any Local Authority shall have the power, when in their discretion
they shall see fit, to permit any person who shall apply to the said
"Authority, on the ground that he is infested with vermin, to have the
"use, free of charge, of the apparatus (if any) which the Authority
"possess for cleansing the person and his clothing from vermin.
"The use of such apparatus shall not be considered to be parochial
"relief or charitable allowance to the person using the same, or to
"the parent of such person, and no such person or parent shall by
"reason thereof be deprived of any right or privilege, or be subject
"to any disqualification or disability. Local Authorities may expend
"any reasonable sum on buildings, appliances and attendants that
"may be required for the carrying out of this Act, and any expenses
"for these purposes may be defrayed out of any rate or fund
"applicable by the Authority for general sanitary purposes, or for
"the relief of the poor."
The Act is not in any sense compulsory; a Local Authority is not
under a statutory obligation to administer the Act nor, should the
Authority decide to administer the Act, is there any power to compel
any person to avail himself of its provisions. From Dr. Wanklyn's
report, a copy of which is enclosed in the County Council's letter,
it appears that comparatively few Sanitary Authorities in London
have made any considerable use of the provisions of the Act. In
some districts, however, much good work is being carried out. In
Marylebone the Sanitary Authority began to administer the Act in
March, 1898, and from that time to November, 1904, the number of
persons cleansed was 32,500. In March 1905, the number of persons
cleansed was no less than 916. In St. Pancras the Sanitary
Authority made special provision for cleansing in May, 1904, and
during the six months ending October, 1904, about 1,400 persons
were cleansed, of whom 600 were women and children. In Hackney,
where the Borough Council established a cleansing station in March,
1902, the number of persons cleansed is about 50 per annum. These
are the only districts in London where a special cleansing station
has been provided. In Westminster and Holborn cleansing is carried
out in the Casual Wards, and in the following districts in the