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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 the risk of the children coming into contact with obviously undesireable
adults.
These are the most important points arising in connection with the new
powers conferred upon the Council. Before making any definate arrangements
to put the Act into force, it is necessary that the Council should obtain the
fullest possible information as to the extent of the provision already existing,
the method of disinfection of verminous clothing and of dealing with a
verminous condition of the hair ; the arrangements in regard to the supervision
by the cleansing staff; and the facilities which the Metropolitan Borough
Council would be prepared to afford the Council in the matter. I am therefore
to say that the Council will be obliged if the St. Pancras Metropolitan Borough
Council will at the earliest possible moment favour the Council with information
on the points just referred to, and will indicate also what facilities can be
afforded to the Council in its administration of the sections of the Act in
question.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
G. L. Gomme,
Clerk of the Council.
The Education Committee of the County Council in a Report dated 26th
February, 1908, reported to the County Council on the 3rd March, 1908, as
follows:—
Cleansing of Children.
41.—Part V. of the London County Council (General Powers) Act,
1907, provides for the cleansing by the Council of verminous persons in
common lodging-houses, and of verminous children attending school.
The General Purposes Committee, in reporting on this part of the Act,
stated that the provisions which relate to the cleansing of inmates of
common lodging-houses should be administered by the Public Health
Committee, whilst those that deal with the cleansing of verminous children
should be administered by us. The General Purposes Committee,
however, stated that they considered it desirable that the arrangements
with sanitary authorities should be made by (he Council through one
Committee, namely, the Public Health Committee. The Council subsequently
amended the orders of reference to the Public Health and
Education Committees in this sense.
In these circumstances, we desire to draw attention to the urgent
necessity for such arrangements being made in regard to the cleansing of
children as will prevent the possibility of their coming into contact with
adults. School children who need cleansing in most cases belong to an
entirely different class from that to which the adult persons requiring
cleansing belong. The verminous child is the victim of circumstances
beyond the child's control, and, notwithstanding its condition, may not
have lost its sense of self-respect, whilst the verminous vagrant has
probably male his own circumstances and probably lost all sense of self-