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of the year to limit the number of persons being cleansed to six persons of each sex per day, resident
either in Holborn or Finsbury, the cleansing was then effected at the casual wards, Little Gray's Innlane."
Finsbury.—" Arrangements have been made with the Guardians of the Holborn Union for
persons to be cleansed at the casual wards in Gray's Inn-lane, where the accommodation consists of six
baths on the men's side and three on the women's. These arrangements are to come into force early
in 1906."
Bethnal-green.—"In March a circular letter was received from the London County Council calling
attention to this Act and suggesting that more use might be made of its provisions. The letter was
referred to the Public Health Committee, but as no application under the Act has ever been received
the Committee decided to take no action at present. It would be quite easy to allocate one of the
bath rooms at the new disinfecting station to the purposes of the Act, should the necessity arise."
Poplar.—"The Committee considered a circular from the London County Council on the
administration of the Cleansing of Persons Act and recommended the Council ' that public notices
be issued directing attention to the facilities provided at the disinfecting station and shelters for
cleansing persons and their clothes from vermin.'. . . Since the posting of the bills 427 persons
applied for baths and for their clothes to be disinfected."
Southwark.—" The medical officer of health called attention to the objection to using the
reception house for verminous persons, and advised the sanitary authority to take a house until a
proper building can be put up. The Council decided to fit up a bathroom adjoining the reception
house to meet this objection."
Bermondsey.—The medical officer of health reported on this Act at the end of March, 1905,
and the Borough Council adopted a scheme for providing separate accommodation of two bathrooms
adjoining the public baths at the Neckinger depot."
Battersea.—" On receipt of the letter of the London County Council, the medical officer of
health presented a report suggesting that the tenement of the shelter opening into Sheepcote-lane
could be used for the purpose. The Health Committee deferred any further action until the early
part of 1906, so that the necessary expenses involved in carrying out the Act might be included in
the annual estimates."
Wandsworth.—"The borough council agreed to the erection of two bath houses at the disinfecting
station, Tooting, for the purpose of carrying out more fully the provisions of the Act and also
for dealing with children reported, by the officials of the London County Council, to be in a verminous
condition, and in attendance at school."
Camberwell.—" It was decided to let the public know there were facilities provided by this
authority."
Woolwich.—" A bathing station for the purposes of this Act was approaching completion, it
adjoins the Plumstead disinfection station, White Hart-lane. Only one bath is to be provided in the
first place, but the station has been arranged so that it can be duplicated and a bath allotted to each
sex as soon as need arises."
In many districts steps were taken to give wider publicity to the provision which had been
made for the cleansing of persons and to assist in bringing knowledge of the existence of any provision
which had been made to the knowledge of persons likely to make use of it. The County Council
communicated with the keepers of common lodging houses and obtained their consent to the
exhibition in the kitchens of these houses of bills giving the necessary information.
With the object of obtaining more recent information on the subject, I addressed a circular
letter on 17th November, 1906, to all the medical officers of health in the administrative county,
asking the following questions:—
(1) The precise nature of the provision made for the cleansing of verminous persons and
their clothing.
(2) Whether such provision is separate from or in conjunction with the ordinary disinfection
station.
(3) Whether any special provision is made for the cleansing of children.
(4) Whether the work is carried out by the Borough Council or by arrangement with the
Guardians.
(5) The extent to which the provision has been made use of in recent years, distinguishing
the sex of the persons who have taken advantage of the facilities afforded.
From the replies received it would appear that in most cases some provision has been made to
give effect to the Act, the only exceptions being Deptford, Fulham, Hammersmith, Hampstead,
Lambeth and Lewisham, though in Deptford the matter is now under consideration. In Greenwich,
arrangements had been made to carry out this work at the disinfecting station, but I am informed by
the medical officer of health that the whole scheme is now in abeyance. In four boroughs, Finsbury,
Holborn, Kensington and Paddington, the work is done by the Guardians at the casual ward.
Generally, however, baths are provided at the several disinfection stations under the control of the
Borough Councils.
In very few instances has special provision been made for the cleansing of children, though
some attention has been drawn to the matter as the result of a communication from the Council's
Medical Officer (Education).
The following table shows the substance of the replies to my letter of 17th November 1906:—