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12
Sanitary Circumstances of the District.
Contagious skin diseases have been prevalent.
The Private Schools in the District have been systematically
visited and various sanitary defects remedied.
Medical inspection of the children should, in my opinion, be
undertaken with regard to these private school children, on the
same lines as that obtaining in the Public Elementary Schools; and
powers granted in that direction would, I think, be of great benefit
to the welfare of the children, whether day scholars or boarders.
VERMINOUS AND OTHER CONTAGIOUS
AFFECTIONS.
It is generally agreed that during the War, home life has been
altered and children neglected as far as cleanliness is concerned
The mothers are often out all day, and the children get out of hand
in more ways than one.
The bulk of the subjects of these dirty conditions, including
itch, scab and ringworm, are children of school age, and are treated
by the School Authorities; it is also to some extent a Public Health
question in view of recent research work. I do not see for the
moment how more can be done in this District. The School nurses
follow out the routine laid down by the Surrey Education
Committee, but cannot be expected to do the actual cleansing
where the mother fails. Itch, scab, and ringworm, are largely
treated at the School Clinic. Itch is treated specially (when the
cases will go) at the Council's Disinfecting Station with good
results. The Surrey Education Committee have not recognised
the necessity for a Cleansing Station for verminous children, so that
*Section 122 of the Children's Act is not applicable in this respect.
If the station were more used, dirty heads and bodies could be
cleansed there after a trial had been given* at the child's home by
his parents. Overcrowding, infected bedding, dirty hair brushes,
etc., are the chief causes of failure at home.
In this connection it is of interest to note that the earliest
recorded occurrence in Britain of the bug is an account of its
appearance in 1583 amongst some ladies of noble birth at Mortlake
(see "Public Health Journal," January, 1920).
* Plans are maturing between the C.C., and the U.D.C., for the cleans
ing of children at the Council's Station in Mortlake.