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122
method especially if the situation is explained carefully to old
people that the Health Department is here only to serve their best
interests.
Cleansing of Old People.—Section 43 of the London County
Council (General Powers) Act, 1953, provides for the cleansing of
any aged person in the district who :
(a) is verminous or for any other reason in need of cleansing
in order to prevent injury or the danger of injury to
health; and
(b) is so enfeebled that he is unable to avail himself of any
facilities for cleansing himself provided by the authority
under any enactment or to cleanse himself properly
In this respect, during the current year, 1,892 baths were given
to elderly persons at the Cleansing Station and 2,620 home baths
were effected. Figures for the previous year were 1,763 and
2.007 respectively and in 1962 the figures were 1,348 and 2,017.
Laundry Service.— Under Section 122 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936, the Council is empowered to cause to be
cleansed " any articles which are filthy, dangerous or unwholesome
and liable to affect or endanger health." Advantage has been taken
not only of this section but also Sections 124 and 194 to introduce a
laundry service in order to deal suitably with what has always been
a major problem, namely, the treatment of badly soiled clothes
bed-linen, etc., from the homes of elderly people.
Cases in need of such assistance are brought to the notice of the
department by Hospitals, District Nurses, Doctors and by ordinary
routine investigation of complaints.
From the Council's limited stocks of bedding and clothing it is
possible in certain circumstances for temporary supplies of linen
etc., to be made to people whose own is being laundered, and
co-operation with voluntary organisations often results in the repair
or replacement of outworn articles.
Bv the end of the year the laundry service, supervised by the
Lady Public Health Inspector, had been extended to 259 separate
individuals and during the current year, the staff at the Cleansing
Station have dealt with 63,191 articles which were collected,
laundered and delivered.
Burial or Cremation of the Dead.— Under Section 50 of
the National Assistance Act, 1948, the Council is required to arrange
for the burial or cremation of any person who has died or has been
found dead in the Borough if in such cases it appears to the Council
that no suitable funeral arrangements have been or are being made.