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The parents of 277 children have been prosecuted and fines imposed varying from 1s. 6d. to
18s. 0d. and 2s. Od. costs. The magistrates have on several occasions expressed strong views in regard
to the shocking neglect on the part of parents in these matters.
Bodies and Clothing.—The cleansing of the heads was first instituted because here the
cause of offence was evident and demonstrable, and its prevention easy. The carrying out of the scheme
was at once educational and of benefit to the children, and could be insisted on. In regard to the
children who are bodily unclean the difficulties were greater. Reports were constantly being received
in regard to children who were verminous as regards the bodies or clothing. Some results of a scheme
tried in Saint Marylebone in co-operation with the Borough Council were given in the last report. The
nurse examined the children, and in the case of those with bodies or clothing so verminous that they
were unfit to be in school the names and addresses were sent to the Medical Officer of Health, whose
Sanitary Inspector delivered cards stating that the children could have a warm bath and their clothes
sterilised free of cost at certain hours on specified dates. The scheme worked so satisfactorily that it
was decided to extend the scheme and work it into the regular cleansing scheme by co-operating with
the Borough Councils in those districts where arrangements for personal cleansing were already in force.
Seventeen Borough Councils agreed to assist. In most of the boroughs, however, the cleansing station
was only open during school hours, and it is obvious that daylight hours are the only proper times for
any treatment of children away from their homes. Here a difficulty, threatening to wreck the scheme,
was raised by an inspector, and application was made to the Board of Education for the recognition
of the child at a cleansing station as an attendance under Art. 44 of the Code of Regulations. Difficulties
were at once raised by the Board of Education which would have destroyed the scheme, but the Council
wisely determined that arrangements should be made so that verminous children could be enabled to
attend the cleansing stations during school hours without regard to the Board of Education grants.
Meanwhile, in view of the new powers to be obtained in the L.C.C. (General Powers) Act, 1907, this
part of the cleansing work has not been pushed forward. Since most of this report was written the Act
has been passed.
The powers obtained are contained in Clauses 36, 38 and 39 :
(1.) The Medical Officer or any person provided with and, if required, exhibiting the authority in writing of
the Medical Officer may, in any school within the County provided or maintained by the Council as the Local Education
Authority, examine the person and clothing of any child attending such school, and if on examination the Medical
Officer or any such authorised person as aforesaid shall be of opinion that the person or clothing of any such child
is infested with vermin or is in a foul or filthy condition, the Medical Officer may give notice in writing to the parent
or guardian or other person who is liable to maintain or has the actual custody of such child, requiring such parent,
guardian, or other person to cleanse properly the person and clothing of such child within twenty-four hours after
the receipt of such notice.
(2.) If the person to whom 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 remove the child referred to in such notice from any such school and may cause the person and clothing
of such child to be properly cleansed in suitable premises and with suitable appliances and, if necessary, for that
purpose may without any warrant other than this Act convey to such premises and there detain such child until such
cleansing is effected.
38. The Council and the Sanitary Authority may make and carry into effect agreements and arrangements
for or with respect to the cleansing of the person or clothing of any person under this part of this Act and for the
use by the Council for the purpose of effecting such cleansing of any premises or appliances adapted for such purpose
and belonging to or used by such Sanitary Authority.
39. The examination or cleansing of females under this part of this Act shall only be effected either by a person
duly qualified as a medical practitioner or by a female person duly authorised as hereinbefore provided.
RINGWORM.

In 140 of these cases medical certificates to the effect that the children had no disease or were free
from ringworm, or recovered, had been submitted by parents at the time or shortly after, but the cases
were so doubtful that the nurses forwarded stumps, and in 129 of these 140 cases ringworm was found to
be still present, favus in 5 cases, and only in 6 cases was no fungus found. In several cases this judgment
has been disputed during the past year, but the only decision which could reasonably be contested
would be a statement that a child had not ringworm. When we can actually see the fungus in every
case referred to the office before a diagnosis is sent out, it is futile to contest it. A week or two at the
most would decide any doubtful case. Only twice during the past year has personal examination of
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