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who were, or were believed to be, verminous,, During 1952 six
cases were dealt with. Three of these were limited to the
cleansing of verminous heads but in the other cases it was
necessary to undertake complete cleansings, including bathing.
The absence of bathing apparatus and other household
amenities in the homes presented difficulties. It was
decided, therefore, that" where possible old people should
be conveyed in a suitable vehicle to the personal cleansing
station where all facilities are available and, if necessary,
their clothing could be disinfested while they were being
bathed. During the year arrangements were made for twelve
old persons in a dirty or verminous condition to be cleansed
at the Council's personal cleansing station, Blechynden
Mews, W. 11.
Institutional Care, etc.
Facilities for institutional care, hospital treatment,
medical care, nursing care,ophthalmic, dental and pharmaceutical
services, sick room equipment, convalescent holidays, financial
aid and pensions are dealt with by the responsible official
organisations. These and the various services provided by the
Council are in many instances made available to old persons
through the intervention of the Women Health Officers who act
as liaison officers in this respect.
During the year it was possible to arrange for eighteen
old people to be admitted to hospital for institutional
treatment and, in addition, twenty-seven cases were admitted
to homes for the aged.
Laundry
At present no direct authority exists for the Council to
provide a laundry service, as such, for old people. Section
122 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, enables the
Council to cause any article in a house in the Borough to
be cleansed, disinfected or destroyed if it is in such a
filthy, dangerous or unwholesome condition that health is
affected or endangered thereby. The cleansing of grossly
fouled bedding in cases of incontinence may be dealt with under
this Section.
To comply with the legal requirements, the Council have
given a general authority to the Medical Officer of Health to
take whatever action appears to be requisite under the terms
of Section 122 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936.
In one hundred and nineteen cases action was taken on
an experimental basis. The bedding was marked, laundered at
the Council's disinfecting station and returned to the old
people. The scheme works smoothly and appears to fill a
much felt want. From stocks of bedding held, the Council are
able to supply linen and bedding on loan to old people while
their own is being laundered, and where possible voluntary
organisations are asked to undertake replacements of much
worn articles.
During the year, three hundred and ninety-nine separate
collections of laundry were made under this scheme, and the
number of articles cleansed totalled three thousand, one
hundred and four.
Library Facilities
The Libraries Committee co-operate in providing books
for old people confined to their homes. The circulation of
the books is effected by t he Women's Voluntary Services
mobile library.