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46
The London County Council, in their communication, intimated that they
believed that the Borough Council would agree that the arrangements made for
giving effect to the Act should provide for dealing separately, not only with men
and women, but also boys and girls, and they recognised that the children in most
cases would belong to an entirely different class from that of the adults, and that,
therefore, separate days or hours should be appointed for the reception of the
children, or particular rooms should be allocated to them.
Before making any definite arrangements for putting the Act into force, the
London County Council asked to be supplied with the fullest possible information
as to the extent of the provision already existing and the facilities which the
Borough Council are prepared to afford them in the matter.
The Act authorises the London County Council and Borough Council to enter
into agreement
(a) for carrying out the provisions mentioned above.
(b) for the use by the County Council of any premises or appliances adapted
for the purpose belonging to, or used by a Sanitary Authority.
On January 30th, 1907, the Public Health Committee presented to the Borough
Council a report by a Sub-Committee upon the subject of the cleansing of school
children infested with parasites. The Sub-Committee intimated that they were
unable to advise the adoption of an extensive system of free baths for verminous
children, but recommended that the Medical Officer of Health should continue to
inspect and disinfect uncleanly rooms notified to him, and offer to families affected,
the cleansing facilities possessed by the Borough Council.
At the shelter attached to the Council's mortuary in Horseferry Branch Road,
there is one bath, which is used on occasions when the shelter is not occupied on
account of infectious diseases, by persons applying for cleansing under the Cleansing
of Persons Act, 1897, or persons whose rooms are being fumigated on account of
verminous conditions under section 20 of the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1904. This bath has also been used to a limited extent for the
cleansing of verminous children from the elementary schools in the district.
The task of dealing effectually with the cleansing of verminous persons in the
Borough of Stepney is not a light one, and will be realised when it is stated that
the London County Council have knowledge of some 6,000 children in the Borough
who require cleansing on account of their verminous condition. In addition to
this, there are between 6,000 and 7,000 persons sleeping each night in common
lodging houses in Stepney, and many of these are persons of extremely dirty
habits.