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to direct the attention of the proprietors to the necessity of cleanliness. In one
instance contraventions of byelaws Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9 had to be reported to the Health
Committee. The notice under the byelaws served by order of the Committee was
duly complied with.
VERMINOUS HOUSES.
The houses in which it was necessary to take measures on account of the presence
of vermin numbered 355, and some 666 rooms were dealt with during the year.
Sanitary notices were served where necessary and the usual steps were taken. In
an appreciable proportion the cases came under our notice through intimations
from the School Authorities.
During the year the homes of some 109 children, 31 boys and 78 girls, notified
as verminous by the School Medical Officer, were reported with a view to the homes
and bedding, where necessary, being dealt with by the Sanitary Authority on the
children being cleansed and their clothing disinfected at the cleansing stations of the
London County Council in the neighbourhood. Intimations were received that 22
boys and 22 girls had been given the opportunity of being cleansed at the cleansing
stations, that in the cases of 9 boys and 30 girls statutory notices had been served
upon the parents to cleanse the children within 24 hours under Section 122 of the
Children's Act, 1908, and that in the cases of 26 girls legal proceedings were
pending for non-compliance with the requirements of Statutory Notices under the
Act mentioned. In a number of instances the same children figured more than
once upon the notices and their homes had to be visited and dealt with accordingly.
In practically all the cases reported the homes were visited by the Sanitary
Inspectors, and the following summarises the results obtained:—In 101 the rooms
occupied were satisfactory, varying from fairly clean to very clean, in eight they
were dirty. In 101 the bedding was clean, or fairly so, in four it was dirty, in three
bugs were noticed, and in one it was both dirty and buggy. In one of the houses
evidence of poverty was marked.
No evidence of lice was found in connection with any of the cases investigated.
Arising out of the visits of the Sanitary Inspectors in connection with the cases
reported by the School Medical Officer some 5 sanitary notices were served upon
owners and two upon occupiers of verminous dwellings, mostly for general cleansing
and repairs.
The children reported by the School Authorities as suffering from scabies
numbered 60, of whom 40 were males and 20 females. In 4 cases the addresses
were erroneous. As a result of the enquiries made by the Sanitary Officers one other
case came under observation. As far as practicable steps were taken to prevent
the spread of infection.