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meal. One of the schools affected was an old building where the sanitary
conveniences are situated in the play-ground, far detached from
the washing facilities which are located in the main building. Under
these circumstances it is impossible for the staff to enforce a strict
routine and the arrangement tends to discourage cleanly habits rather
than otherwise.
The other school was of modern construction but the limited
toilet accommodation and the ungenerous supply of towels placed a
heavy burden on the staff who made every endeavour to enforce a
strict routine.
There is no doubt that the older schools should be replaced as
soon as possible or at least all outside toilets should be scrapped and
replaced by proper sanitary accommodation forming part of the main
building. Further, any new schools should be provided with toilets,
wash-hand basins and hand towels on a more generous scale and
designed to encourage children to adopt cleanly habits.
It is to be hoped that with the more compact local administration
of the new London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, such matters
as these will receive the attention they deserve.
Food Poisoning.
Three suspected cases of food poisoning were notified by General
Practitioners and one case was otherwise ascertained.
The cases were entirely unrelated. All had symptoms suggesting
food infection but all investigations were negative and the causal
organism was not established in any case.
Measles.
The expected epidemic of Measles occurred and 385 cases were
notified by General Practitioners. All made good recoveries.
Control of Typhoid Fever.
An Austrian Alpine Expedition for senior scouts left England
for Austria on the 12th August and returned on the 24th August,
1963. On the 12th September information was received that a scout
of one contingent was suffering from Typhoid Fever, and that another
was seriously ill and a suspected case.
Fifteen members of the Expedition resided in Barnes and arrangements
were made for all to be visited and for faecal specimens to be
obtained to endeavour to establish whether or not any were infected.
One of the contacts became ill and was thought to be a possible case;
however all were finally proved negative and no further cases occurred.
IMMUNISATION AND VACCINATION
The scheme for immunising children against Diphtheria, Whooping
Cough, Tetanus and Poliomyelitis, continued as in previous years