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50
Rag and Bone Dealers.
Some 22 premises to which the bye-laws under Section 9 of the London County
Council (General Powers) Act, 1908, apply were on the Register at the end of the year,
and 30 visits of inspection were made in connection therewith. In 4 instances written
intimations of the need for cleanliness were served and duly attended to.
Verminous Houses.
The houses where it was necessary to take measures on account of the presence
of vermin numbered 135, and in connection with them some 184 rooms were dealt
with during the year. Sanitary notices were served where required and the usual
steps taken. A fair number of the premises came under notice through intimations
from the School Authorities as to children reported as being in a verminous condition.
During the year the homes of some 88 children, 33 boys and 55 girls, notified
as verminous by the School Medical Officer, were reported with a view to the homes,
bedding, etc., where necessary, being dealt with by the Sanitary Authority, whilst
the children were cleaned and their clothing disinfected at the cleansing stations of
the London County Council. Intimations were received that 17 boys and 11 girls had
been given the opportunity of being cleansed at these stations, that in the case of
14 boys and 42 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 2 boys and 2 girls legal proceedings were pending for non-compliance
with the requirements of Statutory Notices under this Act.
In all the cases reported the homes were visited by the Sanitary Inspectors,
and the following summarises the results obtained :—In 79 the rooms occupied were
satisfactory, varying from fairly clean to very clean, in 5 they were dirty, and in 4
also buggy. In 81 the bedding was clean or fairly so, in 6 it was dirty, overcrowding
was noticed in one instance. In one of the homes evidence of poverty was marked.
No evidence of lice was found in connection with any of the homes.
Arising out of the visits of the Sanitary Inspectors three Sanitary Notices were
served upon the owners and three upon the occupiers for cleansing.
The children reported by the School Authorities as suffering from scabies
numbered 62, of whom 36 were females. As a result of the enquiries made 14 other
cases came under observation. As far as practicable steps were taken to prevent
infection spreading. In 5 cases the addresses given were erroneous.
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1928, Section 28.
Application was made to the Magistrate for orders for the removal to St. Leonard's
Hospital of three individuals under this Section. In all cases these individuals were
so aged and infirm as to be quite unable to take proper care of themselves.
Water Supply.
During the year consideration was given to the water supply to St. Leonard's
Hospital and Institution. By the end of the year it had been arranged to modify
the system so as to ensure at all times to all parts a supply for drinking purposes
from the mains.