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Dr. Adamson also conducts a special clinic for the treatment
of plantar warts discovered on routine examination or referred from
other school medical officers. This is held in the Skin Clinic, Paget
Ward, Barking Hospital.
HYGIENE.
Toilets
In the older schools toilet accommodation is invariably sited at
the periphery of the playground, presumably because our predecessors
felt it would be unhygienic to have them elsewhere. Even in the more
modern schools on the Becontree Estate, where the toilets are attached
to the school buildings, access is usually only to be obtained from the
playground since most Heads lock the internal communicating door.
Although individual toilet compartments are usually roofed, the toilet
block as a whole is open to the air in both older and newer schools..
It is invariably cold and wet in the winter months and the flushing
system freezes during some part of the winter. Whilst most Heads
are aware of the importance of good hygiene and whilst by and large
your caretakers are most conscientious, there is always the danger
"out of sight, out of mind." From all points of view seems to me
that toilet accommodation should always be provided internally.
It is a matter of concern that in the majority of the schools no
toilet paper is available except by issue from classroom and I fail to
see how any teacher or any child can anticipate requirements. If the
child takes too much some is wasted, whilst if he takes too little results
cannot be but unhygienic. Head Teachers invariably tell me that it is
impossible to provide toilet paper in the individual compartments since
it is invariably stolen or scattered. In some instances leads arrange
this as a matter of routine so I find it hard to believe that there are any
insuperable difficulties.
Washing Facilities
I have already mentioned that the outbreak of c. dysentery at the
Monteagle Schools focussed your attention on the need for adequate
hand washing facilities.
I think it most unlikely that adequate hand hygiene will be practised
when a child has to collect soap and towel from she classroom,
and when only cold water is available in the handbasins. In the older
schools an added difficulty in training children to wash their hands
is that washing facilities are not available in the toilet blocks. This
should be easier in the Becontree schools for if Heads ere to lock the
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