London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Pancras 1911

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]

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92
It will be observed in the above instruction to Schoolkeepers—
(1) That no differentiation is made between Infants' and other Departments
of Elementary Schools, but that all departments and all kinds
of Schools are treated alike (see end of paragraph).
(2) That no period is fixed for sweeping the floor, but the inference
appears to be once a week for sweeping the floors and dusting the
desks, tables, seats, chairs, and window cills although it is not
specifically so stated (see paragraphs c and d).
(3) That the tops of cupboards and ledges are to be dusted "at least once
in every three weeks before the floors are scrubbed." From the last
few words one gathers as by a side issue that the floors are to be
scrubbed once in every three weeks, although it is not specifically so
stated.
(4) That at often as may be necessary the walls and cornices, the painted
dadoes, and the glazed brickwork above the dado which is within reach
without the use of ladders must be swept or dusted. There is no
maximum interval stated, but once a year all the dadoes and glazed
brickwork must be rubbed over and cleansed with a cloth well
moistened with turpentine or other approved material.
In framing a scheme for the cleansing of schools, four series of factors are
embraced - (1) the kind of department or school, (2) the processes to be employed
in cleansing, (3) the periods or intervals of employment of the processes, and
(4) the surfaces or objects to be cleansed
(1) The Department or School specially considered by the Council and
the Conference was the Infants' Department, which is usually a
separate school or premises.
(2) The processes in cleansing are (a) dusting and sweeping, (b) washing
and wiping, and (f) rubbing and polishing.
(3) The periods or intervals of cleansing may be (a) daily, (b) weekly,
(e) monthly, (d) quarterly — that is, at the end of each term at the
Christmas, Easter, and Summer holidays.
(4) The surfaces or objects to cleanse are (a) floors, (b) lower walls, (c)
surfaces of furniture, fixtures and ledges, including window cills,
(d) upper walls and cornices, and (e) special objects, such as
ventilation inlet and tubes, mats, mat spaces, &c.
Putting these various factors together, a reasonable time table may be
constructed on the following lines:—
Cleansing of Infants' Departments of Elementary Schools.
A.—Dusting and Sweeping.
Daily—The surfaces of the furniture, fixtures, and ledges (including
window cills), lower walls and floors, also mats and mat spaces.
Monthly—Ventilating inlets and tubes,