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85
Visits paid for various causes, complaints, etc. 443
,, verminous and dirty houses and bedding 878
Re-visits—estimated 1000
Cases where bedding was found to be in a dirty and
verminous condition, and cleansed or destroyed 390
Total number of cases referred to District Inspectors 171
„ Early-morning Inspections 5
,, Overcrowding—cases found and abated 41
Notices served on tenants re dirty conditions 150
,, „ landlords and tenants—various 131
In reviewing the general aspect of the work during 1915,
one comes to the conclusion that it has been of a most unusual
nature. The frequent crowding together into one room of all
the children, caused by the exceptional circumstances and
expected air raids, could not be dealt with harshly. Reasoning
with the parents as to the danger to health of this practice
has generally induced an abatement of this special kind of
overcrowding.
I have spent a good deal of time in connection with the
Cleansing Station. It may be owing to war conditions that
Scabies and Impetigo cases have been numerous. The
explanation as to how school children are affected is not far
to seek. Very often the mothers of the children take in
soldiers' washing. The children fetch and return it, and so
easily become infected. Verminous conditions are also
produced in this way. When a definite case of the kind has
come to our notice, the regimental Medical Officer has been
communicated with, and the soldiers' clothes and bedding
have been disinfected.
With our great increase of population the disinfecting
officers and machinery have been kept extremely busy. It
has therefore been expedient to reduce the number of beds