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In reply to the foregoing communication, I wrote to the Medical Officer (Education), as
follows:—
"Verminous children. I brought your circular letter to the attention of the Public Health
Committee who postponed consideration of it till the new Committee shall have been appointed
after the elections on 1st November. Meanwhile, I shall be obliged if you can give me any
information, based on the experience of the local nurse, as to the number of cases she has to
deal with at the schools in this Borough, so that I may be in a position to report as to the
probable amount of work that would follow acquiescence with your request."
On October 22nd, I received a further communication from the Medical Officer (Education),
as follows:—
"Verminous Children (Bodies and Clothing). In reply to your letter of the 18th inst., I am
unable to say exactly now many children would require bathing each week, as we have not yet
dealt with the Kensington district; but in the Borough of Marylebone about 160 attend the
baths and disinfecting station each week. I think it would be sufficient, at present, if you could
make arrangements for the reception of 50 per week. If you could kindly arrange for the
children to be dealt with out of school hours, it would conduce to the efficiency of the scheme."
The subject being of undeniable importance, reference may be made to the powers of
the Council, as Statutory Authority, in regard to it, conferred by the Cleansing of Persons Act, 1897.
The Act reads as follows:—
"1. On and after the passing of this Act 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 the rate or fund applicable hy the Authority for general
sanitary purposes."
The following reference to the action of the late Vestry is contained in a report of the
Sanitary Committee, adopted by the Vestry on 3rd November, 1897:—
"Stating—That, pursuant to the reference by the Vestry of the 22nd September, the
Committee have had before them the letter from the Local Government Board calling attention
to the Cleansing of Persons Act . . . . The Committee have been in communication with
the Kensington Guardians as to the steps to be taken for carrying out the provisions of the Act,
and a Deputation has attended before the Mary Place Establishments Committee of that body
on the subject. At this interview a proposition waa put forward by the Deputation that the
Guardians should treat, on the Vestry's behalf, any persons desirous of availing themselves of
of the benefits of the Act, and this proposition was, the Committee are pleased to be able
to report, most favourably received. A letter has since been addressed to the Vestry by the
Guardians, embodying the proposition referred to, and intimating that, for the present, and
until the numbers availing themselves of the Act are so great as to be beyond the capacity of
the apparatus at the Casual Wards, they are willing to allow the use of such apparatus by any
persons who are sent with an Order from the proper Officer of the Vestry, upon a payment of
2s. 6d. toward the expenses incurred in respect of each person so sent.
"Recommending—That the offer of the Guardians be accepted upon the terms named by
them, and that it be left to the Vestry Clerk and the Medical Officer of Health to settle with the
Clerk to the Guardians as to carrying the arrangements into effect."
The report was adopted, and the arrangement is still in force; but the number of persons
who avail themselves of the facilities provided is quite insignificant.
The question of the Cleansing of Persons under the provisions of the Act, formed the subject
of an inquiry by the Public Health Department of the London County Council in 1904, and of a
report,* prefaced by an introduction by the Medical Officer of Health, it which it is stated that—
"Only in St. Marylebone, St. Pancras and Hackney has" any accommodation been provided
such as would appear calculated to attract persons requiring cleansing. Much (it is added)
depends upon the character of the accommodation provided, and much, no doubt, also depends
upon the sufficiency of the steps taken to make this provision known to the persons likely to
avail themselves of it."
* By Dr. Wanklyr, now Assistant Medical Officer of Health to the London County Council.