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85
ONDON COUNTY COUNCIL.
County Hall, Spring Gardens, S.W.,
12th February, 1908.
Sir,
I am directed to draw attention to sections 36 and 37 of the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, with reference
to the cleansing of verminous persons. It will be observed that
section 36 gives statutory power to the county medical officer or any
other person authorised by him (a) to examine the person and clothing
of any child attending any school provided or maintained by the
Council to ascertain whether the person or clothing of such child is
infested with vermin or is in a foul or filthy condition: (b) to require
the parent or other person responsible for such child to effect the cleansing
of the person and clothing of the child within 24 hours of the
notice to that effect, and (c) on default of such parent or other responsible
person, to remove the child from the school and to cause the person
and clothing of such child to be properly cleansed in suitable premises
and with suitable appliances and to detain there such child until such
cleansing has been effected: and that section 37 enables the medical
officer or any other person authorised by him (a) to enter any lodging
house and examine the person and clothing of any person whom he
has reason to suspect of being infested with vermin or in a foul or
dirty condition (b) to require such person to submit his person and
clothing to be cleansed at specific suitable premises within 24 hours
of notice of such requirement, and (c) on default of such person, to
remove him to suitable premises for the purpose of effecting the
cleansing and to detain him there until it has been effected.
The Council believes that the Poplar Metropolitan Borough
Council will agree that it is absolutely necessary that any arrangements
made for carrying the Act into effect shall provide for dealing
separately not only with men and women but also with boys and girls.
The Council recognises that children in most cases belong to an
entirely different class from that to which the adult person requiring
cleansing belongs, and separate days or hours should be appointed for
their reception, or particular rooms allocated to them, in order to
avoid coming into contact with obviously undesirable adults.
These are the more important points arising in connection with
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