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The need for cleansing work has, owing to war conditions, become more acute; how acute
is shown by the great increase in numbers of children brought to the cleansing stations;
thus from 41,458 cleansings in 1913, 42,557 in 1914, and 43,884 in 1915, the numbers have increased
to 54,945 in 1916 and 80,755 in 1917. There are now 25 stations for the cleansing of verminous
children, a new one having been opened at the open.air camp school, Wellington street, Deptford.
The total number of examinations made by the nurses under the cleansing scheme proper was
798,643, and 19,506 children were found verminous; of these 8,506 were cleansed by the parents,
the remainder 11,000 children were dealt with at the cleansing stations; 31,124 cleansings were
carried out at the Council's stations and 49,631 at stations of the local sanitary authorities This
number is an increase of 25,810, or 47 per cent, when compared with the number for 1916. The
parents of 124 children were prosecuted, and fines varying from 2s. to 10s., with costs, were imposed.
Of the total number of children cleansed, 1,792 were conveyed by the Council's motor ambulance.
At each stage under the scheme a notice indicating the condition in which the child is found is
sent to the local sanitary authority in order that action may be taken with regard to clothing and
bedding in the home under the London County Council General Powers Act, 1904, Part IV.
The arrangements for the bathing of chddren suffering from scabies were continued.
total milliner dealt witn during tne year was 6,940, an increase of 3,727 when compared with the figures
of the previous year; and there was an increase of 30,317 in the total number of baths given. Cases in
which the family has been found infected after the visit of a soldier have come under notice. All the
cases in school children have been speedily followed up, and in older that there should be no interference
with the treatment, baths were given at the stations throughout the summer recess. The
co.operation between the Council and the hospitals and treatment centres was further facilitated by
the use of a specially prepared card, which was handed at the hospital or treatment centre to the
parent, who was advised to take it, together with the child, to the nearest cleansing station.
The school nurses again assisted the executive Committee of the Children's Country Holiday
Fund by examining for any infectious disease (e.g., ringworm) or any form of uncleanliness the children
whom it was proposed to send to the country.
The personal hygiene scheme in girls' secondary schools and kindred institutions has continued
in operation. The scheme was applied also to one boys' school, where only one verminous head was found.
The proportion of verminous heads found in the girls' schools was 4.0 per cent., a decrease of O.1 per
cent, when compared with the figures for 1916.
The scheme in force during 1917 provided that all pupils found on examination to be defective
as regards personal hygiene should be given three opportunities for remedying the unsatisfactory
condition, a period of one month elapsing between the first and last of the series of examinations. The
preliminary examinations in all cases are carried out by the school nurses, and pupils in whom unsatisfactory
conditions remain unremedied are seen by an assistant superintendent of nurses, upon whose
report action is taken. In exceptional cases awards are withdrawn from scholarship holders and fee.
paying pupils are permanently excluded from the institutions. Experience has proved that a certain
number of the scholars and pupils, found to have remedied the condition at the third examination,
relapse again during the holiday periods. The Higher Education Sub.Committee considered whether
it would be possible to further safeguard the pupils in secondary schools from infection by verminous
children, and it was suggested that if a child were once found verminous any scholarship or award
should be refused or terminated. Upon this I reported that serious hardship might result if this rule
were strictly enforced, and the Council has since decided that, in the year 1918 and subsequently, it
shall be a condition of the award and tenure of the Council's scholarships, exhibitions and free places,
that the candidate or scholar shall not be found unclean or verminous (apart from accidental infection).
Provided that a reasonable interpretation is placed upon the last four words this scheme should be
productive of good results. The scheme in force at the institutions has, therefore, been amended so as
to give effect to the Council's decision.
Examinations of Candidates and Medical Inspection in Higher Education Institutions.
The total number of candidates medically examined was 4,965, a decrease of 431 when compared
with the figures for 1916. In addition to the foregoing examinations, 1,614 references in regard to the
health of employees in the Council's service were considered. This number shows an increase of 194
when compared with the figures for the previous year.
Arrangements were also made for the examination of discharged soldiers and women who
proposed taking up the specialised courses of training for munition students at the Council's Brixton
and Shoreditch Munitions Training centres. 52 men and 1,211 women were examined; of these 12 men
and 232 women were found to be unfit. The women, whose ages varied from 18 to 35 years, were drawn
from a very wide field, including various parts of London, the provinces and Scotland.
The medical inspection of pupils in L.C.C. training colleges and secondary and trade schools
and of pupils in attendance at non.maintained secondary schools was continued, and the results are
given in the Appendix.
Infectious Diseases—Schools.
In 1917, as in the preceding year, these diseases, and especially the former, were but little
prevalent. The season was again an exceptionally wet one, and this circumstance, together with the
fact that a major wave of scarlet fever attained a maximum in 1914 and was due to ebb to a minimum
about 1917 affords a partial explanation of the phenomena. In the trough of the preceding wave, i.e.,
43316 E
Cerminous
persons and
clotliing.
The Scabies.
Country
Holiday
Fund.
Secondary
schools.
Scarlet lever
and
diphtheria.