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39
ADMINISTRATION
Scabies.—This disease was notably less prevalent in 1921 than in 1920 or during the
•quinquennium 1914-18. The ratio (TO per 1,000) in Provided Schools last year was just
under half the ratio observed in the Non-provided (2.1).
Vermin.—The number of exclusions given in Table XXII.a, is no guide to actual prevalence
of verminous conditions among school children. The School Medical Officer has furnished a
table showing the results of the inspections made by the School Nurses during the past year.
The inspections (not the children inspected) numbered 58,841, and verminous conditions were
present in 11,905 instances, equal to just over 20 per cent. The records are under three heads:
(A) verminous heads (i) living pediculi seen (ii) nits only found and (B) vermin on other parts
of the body or in clothes. The last category is a fairly constant proportion for boys, girls and
infants—averaging 0.6 per cent. for all inspections. The frequency of verminous heads
(A i and ii) was 19.6 per cent. for all children, 6.8 per cent. with vermin and 12 8 per cent. with
nits. The liability to verminous conditions in the head is directly proportionate to the length
of the hair as the following figures (percentage frequencies of inspections) show.
Boys Infants Girls
Vermin seen 1.2 5.4 12.3
Nits only found 3.4 13.0 20.1
Notices sent out.—Exclusion Notices to the number of 2,862—1,650 for the notified and
1,212 for other diseases—were sent to the schools during the year. In addition, 216 notices
were sent to the Medical Officers of Health of adjacent districts with reference to children
attending schools in those districts.
House Sanitation.—Table XXIV. is limited to premises other than tenement houses
(houses let in lodgings) which are dealt with in the section headed " Tenement Houses."
Comparatively slight progress has been made to clear off the works of repair which accumulated
during the war. At the present rate of progress it will necessitate many years. effort to
reach the conditions prevailing in 1914.
House Drainage.—In addition to the works included in Table XXIV. a certain number of
reconstructions, See., were carried out on the owners. initiative, the complete returns being
given below:—
1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921
Existing Drains tested and found watertight 143 89 80 85 68 71 89 88
Drains reconstructed 175 105 82 45 57 68 90 87
„ "made sound" 78 23 17 12 4 21 17 8
By "Economic" or other process.
During 1911-14 200 drains were, on an average, reconstructed annually and 75 made
sound by "process." From 1915 to the end of last year the average has been 76 reconstructions
and 14 making sound per year. There is not the slightest reason to believe that there
has been any similar decline in the necessity for the work.
Reconstruction Plans.—The number of plans deposited decreased from 299 in 1920 to 208
last year. The figure for last year when compared with that for 1911-14 (304) shows how
high prices affect the improvement in the sanitation of houses. The contrast is more marked
when it is remembered that in many instances the reconstruction of the drain, etc., now forms
part of the conversion of a "private" house into "flats," a procedure which was nearly
unknown in 1914.
1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921
Plans deposited 312 269 145 122 109 269 299 208
In connexion with these plans 531 letters were sent out requiring the deposit of plans or
their amendment. No summonses were issued during the year.
Combined Drainage.—Sanction was given under Section 74 of the Metropolis Management
Act, 1855, for the drainage by combined systems of the undermentioned groups of houses.
Amberley Wharves, Nos. 1 and 2 Garway Road, Nos. 8 and 10
Biddulph Road, Nos. 14-24 Harrow Road, Nos. 495, 497 and 499
Eastbourne Mews, "C" Arch, Nos. la-7a Kilburn Park Road, No. 29
Edgware Road, Nos. 169 and 171 Randolph Gardens, No. 15
Edgware Road, No. 259 Richmond Road, No. 1
Scenery Store and Westbourne Grove, No. 114c
"White Lion" Passage Titchborne Street, Nos. 33 and 34
Westbury Road, No. 1
Westbourne Park 1
Crescent Mews, No. 1