View report page

12
Extract from Monthly Report. II.
November, 1914.
VERMINOUS CHILDREN AND OVERCROWDED
ROOMS.
Herewith I beg to submit particulars of cases
recently received from the Care Committee, the Education
and other Authorities respecting the vexed question
of verminous children and overcrowded rooms. These
cases are taken from a large number of others, and are
mainly interesting from the fact that, after a very long
period of multiplication of Committees, Authorities, and
Agencies of all sorts and kinds, there seems to be no one
Authority having any real power to intervene and to do
something effectual for children coming from such
wretched " homes."
Male and Female Inspectors, District Nurses, School
Board Officers, and a host of Authorities and their Officers
are engaged in following one another to the houses, and
later on reporting to one another about the conditions.
Quite a number of reports and statistics, as well as an
interesting supply of tabular and statistical matter, is provided,
but nothing effectual seems to follow.
It would seem necessary to consider as to whether
the time is not ripe for some representation being made
to the Government Authorities with a view to this matter
being re-opened and considered on an entirely new basis.
The practical utility of continuing this repetition of reports
and ineffective interference by overlapping Authorities,
does not seem altogether apparent.