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67
exists, even when the excluded children are not members of the
family affected. The propriety of this practice is beyond question,
and to its existence we may reasonably ascribe the fact that it has
never been found necessary, in this parish, to close a school on
account of the prevalence of infectious disease among the pupils.
The " notification of infectious disease," when it shall have been
secured by legislation, and the increased powers of removal to
hospital of non-isolated cases of infectious sickness, for which
Sanitarians are asking as a correlative measure, will probably
have the desired effect of limiting the occasions on which it will
become necessary to close schools on account of epidemics, e.g.,
of scarlet fever. Sanitary authorities have greater powers under
the provisions of the Education Code of 1883*, than they formerly
possessed, to close schools—powers which it need hardly be said
should be used with great care and discretion. It has always
been my endeavour to obtain the co-operation of school teachers in
respect of infectious disease existing among their pupils, and their
help has often proved very serviceable. A regrettable fact connected
with the existence of infectious disease, in relation to
education, is the length of time during which children living
in infected houses, but in good health themselves, have to be
kept away from school, to the curtailment of the short period
devoted to' education: and although they may at the same time
be meeting their school-fellows at play, thus to a certain extent
neutralising the precautions taken at school. It is obvious that
fresh and even stringent legislation is needed to enable us to
cope with a difficulty of this sort, viz., an Act for the compulsory
removal of the sick when such removal is necessary to
secure isolation.
* " The Managers must comply with any notice of the Sanitary Authority of
the district in which the school is situated, requiring them for a specified time,
with a view to prevent the spread of disease, either to close the school, or to
exclude any scholars from attendance, subject to an appeal to the Department,
if the Managers consider the notice to be unreasonable."