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118
THE LONDON SCHOOL BOARD AND
NOTIFICATION.
In former reports, extending over some sixteen years, I
had occasion to make reference to the action of the School
Board for London, taken at my instance, with the object of
preventing the spread of infectious disease through the agency
of public elementary schools. The Visitors first, and subsequently
the Head Teachers, were instructed to inform the
Medical Officer of Health with regard to any children absent
from school, when there was reason to suspect that such
absence was due to illness of an infectious character. When
the Notification Act came into operation, the Board and their
Medical Officer manifested a commendable desire to utilize
its provisions to the utmost extent possible, for preventing the
spread of disease through Board Schools. The Public Health
Act, 1891, makes provision for information to be given by
the Medical Officer of Health to the Head Teachers of all
Schools, of the occurrence of any of the infectious diseases
named therein, whether in school children themselves, or in
houses from which children are attending school. This provision
has been duly carried out during the past year; by
direct communication with the Head Teachers of private
schools, and through the Superintendent of Visitors for the
Chelsea Division of the London School Board in the case of
all public elementary Schools.
PAYMENT OF FEES FOR CERTIFICATES.
During the year 1892, 1266 certificates were received by
me, for which the sum of £134 19s. Od. became due to medical
practitioners, in amounts varying from one shilling to
£3 15s. Od. These amounts having been paid by your Vestry,
were recouped by the Asylums Board and charged to the
Metropolitan Common Poor Fund. A question having
arisen how the accounts could be most conveniently arranged,
I proposed that we should prepare a statement of the sums