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local practitioner was contacted he agreed to accept her as his
patient. He diagnosed senile dementia and cerebral arterio sclerosis
and agreed to countersign the necessary application for a committal
order. It was afterwards reported by the Welfare Officer at the home
to which she had been admitted that Mrs. H. had settled in well and
had agreed to reside there permanently.
During the course of the year, ten old people agreed voluntarily
to be admitted to hospital or homes for the elderly, and the necessary
arrangements were made. One of these cases was that of an old man,
aged 78, whose living conditions were drawn to the attention of the
department by a general practitioner. The patient was living alone
in a three room flat which was in a very dirty condition, the furniture
having been heaped together in the corners of rooms, and his
physical condition was such that he was persuaded to enter hospital
for treatment. Unfortunately, the patient was so ill that he died the
following day.
Section 50
It is the responsibility of the Council, under this section of the
Act, to arrange for the burial or cremation of a person dying in the
Borough where there are no relatives, or others, who would be
prepared to make the funeral arrangements. The Council's expenses
in such cases, inclusive of an administrative charge, are recoverable
from the deceased's estate, where appropriate.
During the course of the year, three burials were arranged at the
request of the Coroner's Officer and particulars of these cases are
given hereunder:
Mr. J. L. died in a Common Lodging House and it was not
possible to trace any relatives. There were no effects, apart from the
sum of £3 found on the body, and the Council's costs, less this amount
were written off as irrecoverable.
Mr. H. D. A., who had had no regular employment or permanent
address, was found dead in disused stables. His wife, from
whom he had been separated for some 25 years, was traced by the
police and she informed the Coroner's Officer that she was financially
incapable of meeting the funeral expenses. She subsequently
intimated, however, that she would be able to contribute £5 towards
the Council's costs and this offer was accepted.
Mr. R. G. L. was accidentally gassed in his flat and funeral
arrangements were made in the absence of known relatives. The
Council's costs were recovered from the estate.
Apart from these cases, the body of a male person was conveyed
to the mortuary after recovery from the Thames. Funeral arrangements
were made by relatives.