CLEANSING THE SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 74, 21 December 1918, Page 7

CLEANSING THE SCHOOLS

■.INSTRUCTIONS TO COMMITTEES. The following circular has been issued to school committees by the. Wellington Education Board as to the cleansing and disinfecting'of schools to bo done during the holidays, so. that when the schools reopen they will all be thoroughly clean and sweet:— , "In view of the recent epidemic of influenza the board has consulted the officers of the Health Department in relation to disinfection and cleaning during those holidays and subsequently. "Cleaning.—The point is emphasised that whi]e disinfection may hnve some value it is the thorough cleaning of the premise?, including conveniences, that is of final importance. As committees have been relieved of the daily cleaning for about five weeks, the board desires, and feels sure, that the work will be done with more than usual thoroughness. The pictures and similar movable articles should bo Teiuoved from the walls and carefully dusted and wiped with a cloth moistened in a disinfecting fluid, All articles such as pencils, etc., which might be imnierced should-be to treated, preferably with a formalin solution. Care should be taken that h.ylophato is not soakfd, as it is readily destroyed by the absorption pf water. The floor nnd the. woodwork, generally should be scrubbed with hot water containing to each bucket of water a piece of washing soda as large as an egg. The addition of a little disinfectant is not to be regarded as a substitute for the old-fashioned spring cleaning with scrubbing brush, soap, and 'clbow-greMe.' , Hot water with soda has by careful experiment been shown'to possess strong and valuable ' antiseptic, Qualities. The cold water mop for the floor, dry dusting, ami dry sweeping do not meet retiiiirements. Tndeed, dry sweeping and dry"dusting should always and everywhere be prohibited, us it is mainly moving dust from one position to another! Where sawdust is procurablesweeping should b'a done with sawdust moistened'in'water with a little disinfectant.

"Disinfection.—There is no reason to believe that our schools, aro infected, but it'is nevertheless advisable to adopt, precautions. In every school on? or other of the following course* should bo adopted :-r(\) Tn the smaller e«hools of ono or two rooms, after the thorough cleansing .described above, all the woodwork should bs wined down with a solution of a eood disinfectant. As most disinfectants leave, a. stain they are unsuitable for sprayine walls. 1 (2) Whrro sprayinfi , with formalin is possible (a fruit sprayer frould do) a one in forty solution should be used, and the eoTnyinsr be done bofore ■ olpanitiff out'tlio schonl. fionph if Hie walls aro dusty they should bo wiped dbtrn with a lnoiftt mop before sprains: so as to Rvoid discoloration. Where this method is adqptpd all air omming* aliould he WTPfnlly se-alpd and the room kept clospd for twenty-four hours.

"While in ordinary circumstances disinfection is a. duty of the committee, the following special arrangements are made for this time: (a) The Hmlth Department will rleanse and disinfect rmdy for uso all buildings which linve been used (is distributing centres or temporary hospital". Ih) Tn the more nopulous ureas the Health Dcnartinont will, before mid 1 January, disinfect by' foimnlin sowing, after which tho denning should be done, (c) In any case where tho committee is unable to'pay for the disinfectants mentioned above' the board will, on application, refund the oost of the amount necessary for this disinfection.

"The Tward is assured that every committee may be relied on to com nut this work thoroughly. After completion the rooms should be regularly opened, fresh air and sunlight being nmongsl the very best antiseptics."