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47
the year. It was felt that as this became necessary on account of Medland Hall
and other lodging houses, as well as to an increasing number of schoolchildren, the
London County Council should contribute towards the cost either by paying a certain
amount for every bath, or to give land for the purpose of erecting new baths. The
Education Committee was prepared to pay for the School Children, but the Public
Health Committee was not prepared to pay towards the cost of bathing inmates
of common lodging houses.
In order to fully understand the present position, it may be as well to give a
short resume of the Acts of Parliament referring to the cleansing of verminous persons,
and of the correspondence with the London County Council.
The Cleansing of Persons Act, 1897, empowered Local Authorities to expend
any reasonable sum on buildings, appliances and attendants for the purpose of the
proper cleansing of persons infested with vermin. The Local Authority had the
power to permit such person to have the use free of charge of the apparatus
which the authority possesses, for cleansing the person and his clothing from
vermin.
The London County Council (Genera! Powers) Act, 1904, empowered the Local
Authorities to cleanse, purify, or destroy articles which the Medical Officer of Health
certifies are filthy, dangerous or unwholesome. On the certificate of the Medical
Officer of Health that any house or part of a house is infested with vermin, the owners
may be compelled to stiip, cleanse rooms, houses, or part of such houses that are so
infested. Section 21 of this Act applies Section 59 of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, compelling sanitary authorities to provide means for cleansing, purifying
and destroying filthy, dangerous or unwholesome articles.
Under the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, the following
powers have been conferred on the County Council:—
(1) The Medical Officer or his representative may, in any school within
the County, provided or maintained by the Council as the Education Authority,
examine the person and clothing of any child attending such school, and if on
examination, he is of opinion that the person or clothing is infested with vermin,
or is in a foul or dirty condition, the Medical Officcr may give notice in writing
to the parent or guardian requiring him to cleanse properly the person and clothing
of such child within 24 hours after the receipt of such notice.
(2) If on the receipt of the notice he fails to comply therewith within the
prescribed time, the Medical Officer or his representative may remove the child
from school to suitable premises and detain him until such cleansing is effected.
Section 37 enables the Medical Officer of the County Council to enforce the
cleansing of the person and clothing of the inmates of common lodging houses.