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North and South Staines reservoirs were connected on the east side by means of a syphon, in the hope
that the improved circulation of water might tend to inhibit the growth of algae. During the winter and
spring months of the present year, however, growth of a different kind (chiefly asterionella, synedra and
cyclotella) developed, and although the actual amount present in the water was relatively small, the
blocking effect on the sand filters was serious. The film forming on the surface of the sand in the
filters, although extremely thin; was of so impervious a character that the life of a filter was a question
of only a few days. It was noted in connection with the growths last year, and again this year, that
admixture of unstored river water with stored water prolonged the life of the filters to an extent out
of all proportion to the relative volumes of the two kinds of water.
Sanitary Inspectors.
Among the appendices to this report is a return (Appendix IV.) showing the number of sanitary
inspectors in London in June, 1908. The return also shows the numbers of men and women inspectors
in the several years since 1895.
It should be noted that as compared with the return published as an appendix to my last report,
the total number of inspectors remains the same. The number of women inspectors, however, has increased
from 38 to 40, whilst the number of men inspectors has decreased from 281 to 279.
As mentioned in my last report, no woman inspector has yet been appointed in Bermondsey,
Deptford, Greenwich, Hammersmith, Shoreditch, Stepney and Stoke Newington.
The need for the appointment of additional sanitary inspectors or of health visitors is referred
to in the annual reports of the medical officers of health of Bermondsey, Hampstead, Poplar, St.
Marylebone, Shoreditch, Wandsworth and the City of London.
Education (Administrative Provisions) Act, 1907.
Section 13 of the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act, which became law in 1907, provides
that "the powers and duties of a local education authority under Part III. of the Education Act,
1902, shall include—(6) the duty to provide for the medical inspection of children immediately before,
or at the time of, or as soon as possible after their admission to a public elementary school, and on
such other occasions as the Board of Education direct, and the power to make such arrangements as
may be sanctioned by the Board of Education for attending to the health and physical condition of
the children educated in public elementary schools ; provided that in any exercise of powers under
this section, the local education authority may encourage and assist the establishment or continuance
of voluntary agencies, and associate with itself representatives of voluntary associations for the
purpose."
In a memorandum on the Medical Inspection of Children in Elementary Schools (Circular 576)
the Board of Education state that "the Board desire to emphasise that this new legislation aims
not merely at a physical or anthropometric survey or at a record of defects disclosed by medical inspection,
but at the physical improvement, and as a natural corollary, the mental and moral improvement
of coming generations." The main principle, the recognition of which the Board regard as absolutely
necessary for the development of the administration on sound lines, is that "school hygiene cannot
be divorced from home hygiene, and this is in turn intimately bound up with the hygienic conditions
of the community. Efficiency and economy require, therefore, an organic relationship between the
daily work of the school authority and of the authority responsible for the administration of the wider
branches of public health . . ." The Board add that while it is not expected that by establishing
the necessary administration on the broad basis of public health all difficulties will be avoided, the
Board are convinced that this is the only practicable method and that which is most likely to promote
economy, harmony and efficiency." The Board express the opinion that "in county areas the county
council, which i; the local education authority, should instruct their county medical officers, who
will be responsible for smooth and effectual administration, to supervise the work, its actual execution
being deputed wholly or partly to suitable medical colleagues or assistants (men or women), who either
will be appointed specially for the purpose under him or will be local medical officers of health, and to
whom groups of schools may be allocated. . . . That is to say, generally speaking, the work of
inspection should be supervised by the medical officer of health of the authority which appoints the
Education Committee ; and when the work is obviously more than he can undertake unaided, it
should be entrusted to one or more medical officers working under his supervision."
The memorandum further discusses the character and degree of medical inspection and states
that the Board have decided that not less than three inspections during the school life of the child
will be necessary to secure the results desired. The first inspection should take place at the time of,
or as soon as possible after, admission to school ; the second at or about the third year (say the seventh
year of age) ; and the third at or about the sixth year of school life (say the tenth year of age).
The Board also discuss the subject of amelioration and physical improvement, for which
a scheme has to be submitted by the local education authority for the sanction of the Board of
Education, and in conclusion urge "the progressive unification of the medical services."
The Medical Inspection of School Children.
The Board of Education now require that the report on the work in connection with the
medical inspection of school children should relate to the calendar year. Hence the forthcoming
report of the Medical Officer (Education), which would otherwise have related to the year ended 31st
March, 1908, will deal with the period from 1st April, 1907, to 31st December, 1908. Under these
circumstances this report will be appended to the next report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Shirley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.
To the London County Council.
December, 1908.
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