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105
Public Lavatories for Women.—Arising out of a complaint by one of the Council's lady
sanitary inspectors, with reference to the improper use, as water-closets, of the free urinettes provided
for women at the lavatory at Talbot Road, an enquiry was made as to the extent of free
accommodation provided in other boroughs, which resulted in the submission of a report by Miss
de Chaumont, printed in my annual report for 1905 (page 102). In the result the Works
Committee decided to provide free accommodation at each of the underground conveniences for
women professing inability to pay the usual fee.
Domestic Sanitary Conveniences.—The 26th by-law of the County Council requires the
landlord or owner of any lodging-house to provide and maintain in connection with such house,
water-closet accommodation in the proportion of not less than one water-closet
for every twelve persons. At a considerable number of houses, the inhabitants of which exceeded
twelve in number a second water-closet was provided. In some instances owners preferred to
reduce the number of persons to twelve, or fewer, rather than incur the expense of erecting a second
closet.
Separate Sanitary Conveniences for the Two Sexes.—Section 38 of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, enacts that where persons of both sexes are employed at a factory, workshop, or
workplace, separate sanitary conveniences for persons of each sex shall be provided; but no standard
of requirement has been made as regards London. The Home Secretary has issued an Order prescribing
the accommodation to be provided in extra-Metropolitan factories and workshops. It
became necessary last year, to take proceedings for failure to comply with the provisions
of the section, and the offender was mulcted in a fine of five pounds, with costs. This
subject was dealt with by the delegates of the Metropolitan Borough Councils at the Conference
in July 1904, and a resolution passed recommending standards desirable to be adopted by sanitary
authorities in enforcing the provisions of the section. The more satisfactory course would be
to obtain an Order from the Home Secretary applicable to the Metropolis.
CLEANSING OF PERSONS.
In October, a communication was received from the Medical Officer (Education) of the
London County Council, as follows:—
"A scheme for cleansing the heads of children attending the Schools under the supervision
of the Council, has been in operation for some considerable time. There is now little difficulty
in regard to the heads, but we find children attending school with verminous body and clothing.
The following scheme has been applied in several districts with marked success:—
"The Nurse visits the Schools, examines the children, and notes the names and addresses
of all who are unfit to be in School owing to their verminous condition. In some cases the
names and addresses are forwarded to the Medical Officers of Health, whose Inspectors call at
the homes and leave a copy of card (No. 1). In other cases the Medical Officers of Health
furnish me with a supply of cards (No. 2) which the Head Teachers send to the parents. I shall
be glad to know whether you would be willing to co-operate if this scheme were put into force
in your district, and if so, what methods you would like to adopt."
"Card (No. 1)," issued by the Council of the Borough of St. Marylebone (Public Health
Department), is to the following effect:—
"This card entitles of to the use of the disinfecting station
and a hot bath, etc., at No. 27, Grove Road, N.W., and is available from to
between the hours of 9 and 11 a.m., and 2 and 4 p.m."
"Card (No. 2)," issued by the Council of the Borough of St. Pancras (Public Health Department),
reads:—
"Children's Baths* Entrance from St. Pancras Gardens, N.W.
"Please admit sex age of the Department
of School, to a hot bath, etc., at the Children's Baths, St. Pancras Gardens,
Pancras Boad, N.W., between the hours of 9.80 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Saturdays 1 p.m.).
"Date of issue of Bath Card Signature of Teacher or other responsible
person Address of ditto
"This Bath Card is to be retained by the child, as it is available for more than one bath,
according to the instruction of the Attendant, and must be thown to Attendant, Teacher, or
other responsible person, when asked for."
* Special children's baths have been provided at St. Marylebone and St. Pancras. In the first-named Borough upwards
of 100 children, weekly, are bathed and otherwise cleansed, their clothing meanwhile being stoved so as to ensure the
destruction of vermin. The weekly average number of cases dealt with at St. Pancras is about 70. Children's baths do not
appear to have been provided for the purpose in any other Metropolitan Borough.