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LAM 6
47
In connection with suggestion 5, it will be a matter for the
serious consideration of the Guardians as to whether or not they
are morally justified in sending young children (under five years
of age) up to the Lambeth Sehools under present conditions.
There is no getting away from the fact that, had there been no
children in residence under five years of age, 60 out of the 68
cases of Measles would not have occurred, and not one of the
deaths would have taken place. Even taking the deaths from all
causes during the past year, 1902, the 19 deaths that have taken
place amongst the inmates of the Schools would have been
reduced to two, and the total death-rate per 1,000 reduced from
31.7 to 3.3. The writing on the wall is significant, and Nature's
warning should not (and will not, I trust) be neglected. The
danger (not to use a stronger term) of sending young children
(under five years of age) into barracks at Norwood is proved in
this Report. The Guardians would belie their name, if they
continued such a pactice. It may be that, perhaps, any available
room might, wth advantage, be used for the aged Poor, or
(better still) for the open-air treatment of consumptives, if the
Local Government Board will give their consent to such a scheme.
Appendix.
Summary of Sanitary Defects Found.
1. Broken drain-pipes.
2. Open and defective joints to soil pipes.
3. Ventilating pipes discharging below eaves gutters, or
receiving rainwater from same.
4. Rain-water pipes directly connected to the drains.
5. Defectively constructed access chambers and covers.
6. Defective air in-lets.
7. Open traps at the foot of the soil-pipes near to entrance
doors of dormitories in the playground.
8. Foul aud disgusting trough closets, coated with filth.
9. Water-closets opening direct, and ventilating, into
Dormitories.
10. Improperly fitted and badly flushed slop-sinks.
11. Defective flushing cisterns.
12. No under-traps to baths and lavatory basins, and the in-let
gullies in connection therewith not kept clean ; etc., etc.,
Joseph Priestly,
Medical Officer of Health.
March, 1903.
The Report was sent (marked "private") to the Board of
Guardians, and dealt with by them as follows
Q