View report page

36
National School, Roserton Street, Cubitt Town. The scarlet fever
cases were more diffused but for the most part occurred in the neighbourhood
of St. Luke's School, Millwall.
In the infants' department of St. John's School, upon the 12th
November, the number on the roll was 113, and with diphtheria
there were 15 scholars absent, (13.2 per cent.) In the babies' department,
the number on the roll was 73, and with diphtheria there were
6 absent, (8.2 per cent.)
On the 19th November, the return from St. John's School showed
an increase of scholars absent with diphtheria in the infants' department,
making a total of 17 with a roll of 113 in number, and 7
absent in the babies' department with number on the roll of 73.
With a view to preventing the spread of the disease I interviewed
Messrs. Gordon and Main, two members of the Poplar Borough
Council, and recommended the closing forthwith of the infants' and
babies' departments of the St. John's School, and the exclusion from
the mixed department of any scholars coming from the homes of
children who attended the infants' and babies' departments.
Under the 88th Article of the Code of Regulations for Day Schools,
upon "notice" to the Managers given by Mr. Alderman Main and
Mr. Councillor Gordon, my recommendation was carried out.
On the nth December, the Rev. Hartley, correspondent for the
St. John's National Schools, communicated by writing that "the
Managers of St. John's, Isle of Dogs Church Schools, have resolved
to proceed at once with the rebuilding of the School offices, and will
commence next Monday to lay the new drains for that purpose and
pick up the old ones." Under these circumstances, I advised that
the whole School be closed on Saturday, 15th December, and be
kept closed until 6th January, 1901, with a view to preventing any
danger to health likely to arise from the condition of the Schools
when the drains were open and the polluted soil was being removed