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laxis measures on account of the steep rise in poliomyelitis. In
counselling the most economical use of the country's resources,
the advantages of fully co-ordinated health services were stressed
and the saving in money and human suffering which would
accrue from greater emphasis on prevention.
Being specifically excluded from actively participating in
schemes for providing expansion and extension of "Meals-on-
Wheels" schemes for elderly people, the Council made a grant
of £200 to the B.R.C.S. on 1st January of this year for such
purposes.
Following complaints by a number of riparian authorities
et al regarding the deterioration in the condition of the Thames
resulting from the discharge of sewage effluent, the County
Council took steps to improve the situation and a £10 millions
scheme for its amelioration was commenced in September, 1950.
There was a brisk increase in the incidence of sonne
dysentry during 1951 and regulations were introduced requiring
medical practitioners to notify the Chief Medical Officer of the
Ministry of any case of leprosy coming to their notice. Welfare
of animals prior to their sale was the object of the Pet Animals
Act of this year.
The year 1952 was notable if only for the great fog which
engulfed the capital early in December for four days and was
responsible for some 4,000 deaths in the Greater London area.
This year the Council's first slum clearance scheme since the war
was realised with the representation of three houses in Park
Vista.
A resurgence of sonne dysentry, such as that of 1951,
occurred during 1953 which also saw the beginning of holiday
schemes for elderly residents when the Council made its first
grant to the Greenwich Old People's Welfare Committee to
enable it to send 114 old persons to Margate for a fortnight.
On 1st February, 1953, a high tide caused the Thames to
overflow its banks and damage in this Borough was confined
mainly to industrial premises although some dwellings in the
vicinity of the river were flooded. Under departmental arrangements
soiled articles were cleansed and dried, essential repairs
effected, disinfection carried out and emergency feeding
schemes were introduced. An R.A.F. ground heater was used
to dry out a number of basement rooms which had been
inundated.