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Verminous School Children.—During the year 1914, 266 children attending
elementary schools in the Borough were reported by the School medical
officer for the County of London as being found by the School Nurses to be
in a verminous condition as regards their heads, their bodies, or both heads
and bodies. The corresponding number reported in 1913 was 187 children
The increase in 1914 was due to a larger number of children reported as
having verminous heads. Of the total of 266 children in 1914, 243 were
reported once, 12 twice, 8 three times, and 3 four times. The homes of children
reported more than twice in a year are usually found in a deplorable condition,
and it seems almost impossible to make the parents in these cases
to realise their responsibilities for their children.
All the houses of the verminous children reported were visited by the
Lady Sanitary Inspector; altogether 211 visits were paid in connection
with this work. To aid the mothers of the children in cleansing the heads
and freeing them from vermin, the Public Health Committee in 1913 authorised
the purchase of tooth-combs of the best quality, which are too expensive
for the very poor to buy. These are given to necessitous cases with careful
instructions as to how they are to be used. In 1914, 21 of these toothcombs
were given to families requiring them.