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of the year. Apart from epidemic periods the demand always
exceeded the accommodation.
The Old Coulsdon and Selsdon Wartime Nurseries, both of
which are constructed- on the pavilion system of pre-fabricated
units, each with accommodation for 60 children, were opened in
June ana July, 1943. The numbers attending the former steadily
increased to the maximum but the demand at the Sclsdon Nursery
has always been more limited, and from Very early days was
supplemented by children transferred daily by civil defence
ambulance from lower Sanderstead and South Croydon who Were
attending or who would have attended the Purley Nursery. On
the whole the health of the children has been good,but as was
expected, the attendance at all the Nurseries was affected from
time to time by outbr??? of infectious disease, none of these
fortunately of a serious character. The necessity for keeping
the maximum number of mothers at work was a complication which
always had to be borne in mind when attempting to control
outbreaks ???a factor which has less often to be considered when
dealing with infection in schools. On the whole the measures
taken were reasonably successful, bearing in mind the
susceptibility of the age groups and the inadequacy of our
knowledge of specific preventatives in most cases.
CHILD LIFE PROTECTION.
During the year 24 Foster Mothers were under supervision,
41 children being distributed among them, this being 1 less
mother but the same number of children as in 1942.
SANITARY CONDITIONS.
HOUSING,
The total number of houses inspected luring 1943 under
the Public Health or Housing Acts was 453, the number of
inspections for this purpose being 475. No houses were found to
be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit
for human habitation, but 413 were found not to be in all
respects reasonably fit for human habitation. As a result of
informal action 360 were rendered fit.
Proceedings under Sections 9, 10 and 16 of the Housing
Act 1936 led to the service of 7 notices which resulted in 3
houses being rendered fit by the owners, while 56 notices served
under the Public Health Acts resulted in 43 houses having their
defects remedied by the owners and 7 by the Local Authority in
default of the owners.
No proceedings under Sections 11, 12 or 13 of the
Housing Act, 1936, were taken.
No new cases of overcrowding were reported during the
year and one case wars relieved, 6 persons being involved. At
the end of the year 2 dwellings remained overcrowded, 2 families
and 20 persons being concerned. There is in addition, of
course, a considerable amount of undesirable crowding in some
parts of the District owing to the migration of families due
to war conditions.
WATER SUPPLY.
No alteration in, the water supply was made during the
year. The East Surrey Water supply and that of the Sutton
Water Company were each examined chemically and bacteriologically
four times during the year and all the reports were satisfactory.
Both Companies continued their practice of maintaining a
fairly high percentage of free chlorine and very careful
measures were taken to prevent infection resulting from injury
to mains, the Public Health Department co-operating in the
observation of results.