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25
PUBLIC MORTUARY FACILITIES
The Borough Council has not maintained premises of this nature
for a considerable period, having entered into an agreement with
Hammersmith Borough Council whereby excellent facilities are
available at their Mortuary in Fulham Palace Road, W.6. During
1958, one hundred and fifteen post-mortems in respect of Chelsea
residents were performed.
MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
Seventy-four examinations of persons proposing to enter the
Council's service, and who would be eligible to benefit from the
authority's superannuation scheme, were completed. In only one
instance was it necessary to reject an application for employment,
whilst in three instances employees who had been working in a
temporary capacity for some time, could not be accepted for
superannuable service owing to the unsatisfactory assessments made
at examinations.
MASS RADIOGRAPHY
Whilst the number of deaths from tuberculosis has fallen from
21,993 in 1948 to 4,449 in 1957, every need continues to be borne
in campaigning against this scourge. It is not generally appreciated
that on an average eighty-five deaths occur every week throughout the
year from this particular disease, and much of the loss of life, or
long illness and consequent suffering, would have been avoided if
people had taken advantage of simple steps in the early stages of this
disease.
Facilities are readily available throughout the year from Monday
to Friday in each week, except when public holidays occur, at Centres
within easy reach of this area. It is also understood that a Mobile
X-Ray Unit will be attending for approximately two weeks early in the
Spring of 1959. Publicity will be directed to this facility in due course.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948.
Section 50 of the above Act places responsibility upon a local
authority to arrange the burial or cremation of any person in respect
of whom no other suitable arrangements can be made.
The Borough Council does not, however, arrange for cremations.
There is always the possibility that a member of a deceased person's
family might be contacted, although searching enquiries have proved
fruitless over a long period, only for him or her to express disapproval
if cremation had been performed.
During the year the assistance of the Borough Council was enlisted
in three instances, and concerned three women aged 68, 76 and 85 years
respectively.