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required, exhibiting the authority in writing of the medical officer has
reason to suspect that the person or clothing of any inmate of any
common lodging-house within the county (elsewhere than in the city of
London) is infested with vermin or is in a foul and filthy condition the
medical officer or any such authorised person may at any reasonable
hour enter any such common lodging-house and may examine the person
and clothing of such inmate. If on examination the medical officer or
any such authorised person as aforesaid shall be of opinion that the
person or clothing of such inmate is infested with vermin or is in a foul
and filthy condition the medical officer or such authorised person may
give to such inmate notice in writing requiring him within twenty-four
hours to submit his person and clothing to be cleansed in such suitable
premises as may be specified in the notice and by means of any suitable
appliances available thereat for that purpose.
(2) If the inmate to whom any such notice as aforesaid is given fail
to comply therewith within the prescribed time the medical officer or
some person provided with and, if required, exhibiting the authority in
writing of the medical officer may cause the person and clothing of the
inmate referred to in such notice to be properly cleansed in suitable
premises and with suitable appliances and may for that purpose enter
any such common lodging-house as aforesaid and may, if necessary,
without any warrant other than this Act, convey to any such premises
and there detain such inmate until such cleansing is effected.
(3) Any person who shall prevent or obstruct the entry of the
medical officer or any such authorised person as aforesaid into any such
common lodging-house as aforesaid for the purposes of this section and
any inmate of any such common lodging-house who shall refuse to permit
the medical officer or any such authorised person as aforesaid to examine
his person or clothing or who shall refuse to allow his person or clothing
to be cleansed in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be
liable, on summary conviction, to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings.
(4) In relation to any common lodging-house within the city of
London and the inmates of any such lodging-house the like powers as
are by this section conferred upon the medical officer and persons
authorised by him as aforesaid in relation to common lodging-houses
elsewhere within the county and inmates of such lodging-houses shall be
exerciseable by the medical officer of the said city or any person* provided
with and, if required, exhibiting the authority of such medical officer and
the foregoing subsections of this section shall extend and apply
accordingly and shall be read and have effect as if such last-mentioned