CONTAGION IN SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7268, 26 October 1910, Page 1

CONTAGION IN SCHOOLS

■SPECIAL TREATMENT OF SCABIES PATIENTS. LAW TO BE AMENDED. An outbreak of that form of ftch iknowu medically as scabies recently occurred in a country school in tho Wellington education district, nud the committee of the school concerned wrote to the Wellington Education Board requesting that the Minister in charge of tho Health Department be approached by tho board with tho object of having scabies declared an infectious and contagious disease, so that in future cases—by. 110 means infrequent—tho inspector might bo empowered to remove neglected children from dirty surroundings to an institution where they could bo properly .attended to. Tho committee’s letter was forwarded by the board to the Minister for consideration, and the following reply was received yesterday:— “I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of October stli, drawing attention to the need for legal means being provided whereby children suffering from scabies may bo compulsorily dealt with, with a view to preventing t.ho spread of infection, and to their own restoration to health. This matter has, in another connection, lately "received the attention -of tho department, and it is tho intention to insert suitable clauses in tlie Public Health Act, which will make such provisions as are suggested by the school committee in question, and requested by your board.” Tho secretary was instructed to "keep an eyo” on tho Bill mentioned, with a view to ensuring the insertion of tb© desired clauses.