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ment or destruction of any article which is or is likely to be verminous.
The weakness of the Order is that the information " given by a medical
practitioner or otherwise " is not provided systematically but voluntarily
and haphazard. It is to be hoped, in the near future, that scabies will
be made a notifiable infectious disease.
The London County Council are responsible through the school
medical service for the examination of school children and for the
treatment of scabies among school children. Notifications under the
Scabies Order are given by the London County Council to enable the
Borough Health Visitors to follow up contacts in the households of
infected school children. Adults and children, other than school children,
may receive free treatment of scabies at the Public Health Station
in Lithos Road. Treatment involves the use of benzyl benzoate
emulsion or of Marcussen's Ointment.
During 1942, 164 adults and 95 children attended for treatment at
the Public Health Station for scabies. The number of adults treated
represents an increase of 82 per cent, in the number treated in pre-war
years. It is not possible to give comparable figures regarding children,
as school children are treated by the London County Council. In 1938,
when school children were treated locally no fewer than 268 children
received treatment at the Public Health Station, so the magnitude of
the problem may be realised.
Recent investigations have shown that whilst articles of clothing
and bedding may play some part in the spread of scabies the importance
of these as a means of dissemination has been much overestimated.
Clothing and bedding are now only disinfested when necessary owing
to overcrowded conditions, the communal use of bedding and clothing,
or if reliance cannot be placed on a patient to take suitable preventive
measures.