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SWIMMING BATH
The Corporation rented from the Surrey County Council (for the 1952
Summer season) the open-air swimming bath situated in the grounds
of the Royal Female Orphanage.
The supervision and arrangement of sessions were under the control
of the Public Health Department. Facilities were given to schools,
youth organisations, and residents as in previous years.
During the season, which covered a period of 18 weeks, the following
attendances were recorded:
Youth organisations 3,475
Schoolchildren 6,971
Season Ticket Holders, etc.:
Adults 11,747
Children 6,188
Total 28,381
ERADICATION OF BED BUGS
During the year bed bugs were found to exist in four houses. Appropriate
remedial measures were taken.
SCHOOLS
School Closure. On no occasion during the year was a school closed
by the Local Sanitary Authority on account of the prevalence of Infectious
Disease amongst the scholars.
As in the case of the maintained schools, notice is given to the Head
Teachers of all independent schools in the event of the pupils suffering
from, or having been in contact with, Infectious Disease. The advice of
the Medical Officer of Health as to further action is available should this
be requested, and disinfection is provided when required.
Medical Inspection. Under the 1944 Education Act the Assistant
Medical Officer of the County Council continued to carry out routine
and special medical inspections of schoolchildren in the maintained
schools. This work is under the general supervision of the Medical
Officer of Health, in his capacity of Divisional School Medical Officer for
the Mid-Eastern Divisional Executive of the Surrey County Council.
Water Supply and Sanitary Conditions. All the schools are supplied
with water from the public mains and are connected with the sewers.
The present shortage of materials and labour, and the Government's
economic policy, make it difficult to keep the maintained schools up
to pre-war standards of decoration. Much work has been done, however,
during the year, and although not satisfying the very latest code, the
schools can be said to be free from sanitary defects.
School canteens represent a danger-point and possible focus of
disease for school children. This could only be satisfactorily removed,
however, by a large-scale development plan involving new buildings
for kitchens and dining-rooms. During the year, the Divisional Medical
Officer has visited many of these canteens to investigate the conditions
under which food is prepared, and to give advice on the maintenance
of high standards of hygiene and sanitation.
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