London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wood Green 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wood Green]
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13
BACTERIOLOGICAL WORK
The majority of all the bacteriological work required for the
Borough was carried out at the Public Health Sub-Laboratory
situated at the Connetts Wood Isolation Hospital.
The specimens examined during the year were as follows:
| Positive | Negative | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | - | 166 | 210 |
| Haemolytic Streptococci | 44 | ||
| Vincent's Angina | - | ||
| Faeces | 55 | 243 | 298 |
| Sputum (for tubercle bacilli) | 6 | 10 | 16 |
In addition, 59 ice-cream samples were examined, and 23
milk samples.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT 1948
National Assistance (Amendment) Act 1951
Certain provisions of these Acts give a local authority power
to take action when certain very definite conditions are complied
with, for the purpose of securing the necessary care and attention
for persons who:
a. Are suffering from grave chronic disease or, being aged,
infirm or physically incapacitated, are living in insanitary
conditions, and
b. Are unable to devote to themselves, and are not receiving
from other persons, proper care and attention.
The action to be taken is usually the removal of such persons
to a hospital or other institution but these powers, useful as they
are bound to be in certain cases, are not usually invoked until all
other means of relieving the situation have been tried. During the
past year it has not been necessary to make use of them. Several
cases occurred in which these powers might have been used, but
in every case, sometimes with considerable difficulty, it was found
possible to persuade the aged or infirm person to enter a hospital
or other institution of his own free will.
With the gradual ageing of the population which is taking
place, the number of old people calling for care and attention is
steadily increasing, and at the same time it has become more
difficult in the past few years to obtain the admission of these
people into hospital. The situation in this district seems, however,
to be improving recently, and most of the hospitals serving this
part of the County are setting up or have set up geriatric units for
the care of old people. Along with this more is being done by
voluntary bodies to help the older members of the community,
and in this connection the intention of the Wood Green Charity
Trustees to provide a holiday for a number of old people during
the summer months is very much to be commended.