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84
On Thursday, October 3rd, I certified, in pursuance of
the Public Health (London) Act, "That the cleansing and
"disinfection of part of a house, viz.,"classroom C of Sandhurst
"Road School would tend to prevent or check Scarlet Fever,"
following which certificate a notice was served upon the London
County Council to the effect that the Lawisham Borough Council
would enter the premises and carry out disinfection unless
they received within 24 hours an undertaking that the London
County Council would themselves cleanse and disinfect the
infected premises to the satisfaction of the Medical Officer of
Health or any other legally qualified medical practitioner. This
notice was served upon the Clerk to the London County
Council on October 3rd at 1.30 p.m.
During the afternoon of October 3rd I saw the Head
Teacher and showred him Dr. Kerr's letter of August 13th.
He informed me that neither he or the schoolkeeper were
aware of the Order of July 8th having been withdrawn; that
he had written for permission to admit us and had telephoned,
but without result. We received no information from the
Education Department, but on Friday, Oct. 4th about 4 p.m.
we heard from the Head teacher that the caretaker had received
instructions to cleanse classroom C. Mr. King, one of our
Sanitary Inspectors, at once visited the Schoolkeeper who
stated that he had received a telegram which he considered
permission for the work to be done. This telegram was
worded: "To Schoolkeeper, Sandhurst Road School, Catford.
"Cleanse classroom C at once—Boys Department, Kerr." The
telegram undoubtedly meant that the schoolkeeper himself
was to cleanse the room, which shock led him to construe it
to mean that he was to admit our men. It is unfortunate
that schoolkeepers, and for that matter, the London County
Council, should place difficulties in the way of Sanitary