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get milk fresh would be a most important gain. Whether retailers in
London are prepared to face the coat is doubtful, so we shall have
to put up with the present source of supply.
There were 272 inspections of ice cream shops, of which
there are 270 on the register; in one instance this delicacy was
found to be prepared in a dirty ill-paved yard, and a summons was
issued, with the result Chat the manufacturer was fined.
The number of houses let in lodgings on the register is 317,
and with the return of normal conditions it will he possible to maker
a detailed inspection to see whether the requirements of the
by-laws as to the periodical white washing, &c., have been carried out
in all cases. At the present time there is only one case on the
books which comes within the definition of art Offensive Trade.
No underground rooms were found to be illegally occupied.
Schools.
All the schools, both public and private, have been kept under
observation during the year, 224 inspections having been made of the
former and 171 of the latter. In addition to this there were more
detailed inspections, involving the expenditure of at considerable
amount of time, of the Datchelor School, and also of the school
buildings and boarding houses connected with Dulwich College. So
far as this Council are concerned, nothing has arisen which could call
for them to take any action in the way of closing a school. Where
this has taken place it has usually been the closing of a class room
or two, and has been done on the instructions of the school medical
officers.
It has been necessary, however, on many occasions to visit the
homes of children who have been excluded from school on account
of the alleged presence of infectious disease in their families. Often
it has been found that the message given to the school has not been
in accord with the facts ascertained from personal enquiry at the
home, but when need has arisen appropriate advice has been given.
In the case of diphtheria, the practice was adopted of taking
swabs from those in whom there was some doubt of their having
the disease, from those who had been exposed to infection and who
might be suffering from a latent form, and also when, from some
reason of examinations or occupation, &c., it has been necessary to
modify the time of exclusion.
The cleansing station has been the subject of considerable discussion
during the past year, and came in for a certain amount of
adverse criticism. Various additions were made to the stores in
the way of dressing gowns, &c., which, owing to the high prices
ruling during the war, had got into a somewhat dilapidated condition.
Early in the year the London County Council wrote
pointing out that the number of cases requiring cleansing had much
increased, and was likely to remain high for some years. The
shelter was on these grounds considered inadequate, and there was
enquiry as to whether additions could be made to the staff and
the buildings. Negotiations were at once started by the Borough