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four teenage children and in this group there were also two
accidents caused by defective electric wires.
In the middle age group the numbers were reversed and
there were more than twice as many females as males. This
difference is accounted for by accidents to housewives such as
falling downstairs (often over a pail or child's toy left there),
slipping on floors or by a window falling on the hands. Cutting
bread or meat was responsible for a relatively large number of
cut hands and opening tins for an equal number. The usual
domestic hazards such as using the sewing machine, electric
iron, or the mangle, accounted for a few of the accidents; the
pet dog bit the hand that fed it in two instances. Chopping
wood is not without its risks at any age and one unfortunate
child lost a finger in this manner.
In those over 60, nearly all the accidents occurred in females,
the main reason for which must be the preponderance of older
women over men in the community and their increasing frailty,
but this does not give the complete answer to the differences.
Most of the injuries were due to falls, particularly falling down
the stairs, and falling out of bed (alcohol was responsible in one
case). Falling over a kitten was responsible for two quite
serious accidents. It is surprising and gratifying to note that
only three people over 60 received burns. As in the previous
age group, a broken window cord was sometimes to blame.
In young children there were 16 cases of burns and 14
instances of swallowing tablets or other foreign bodies ; these
included nails, glass, coal, methylated spirit, bleach, rat poison,
Dettol, perfume and aspirin tablets. As is usually the case, where
medicaments were concerned, these were not locked away or
otherwise made inaccessible to the infants. The burns were
generally caused by knocking over the tea-pot or kettle or a
cup of tea, and this confirms the accepted view that tea-making
is a considerable domestic hazard for the young.
The high death rate from accidents occurring in the home
is already known. These preliminary results show that for every
death there is a very considerable number of other accidentsminor
or serious—which may cause varying degrees of disability.
It is particularly significant that so many accidents occurred in
housewives, the majority of which were due to carelessness and
could have been avoided. In relatively few cases could defects
in the home such as broken window cords, defective floorboards
or stair treads be held responsible.
Health Inspectors, Health Visitors, Social Workers and
others have an increasingly important part to play in the education
of the public in the prevention of a growing and adverse
factor in the health of the community.