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229
In their outstanding publication, "Smoking and Health"
of October, 1961, the Royal College of Physicians reviewed
all the evidence for and against the hypothesis that smoking
causes lung cancer and other disabling diseases and made
recommendations as to what action was required.
Legislation in the form of the Housing Act, 1961, in
addition to re-aligning subsidies and encouraging slum clearance,
gave valuable new powers to local authorities with regard to
houses in multiple occupation to prevent and alleviate squalid
conditions. Services for the elderly of the Borough were
expanded and improved still further by the opening, in October,
of the Council's new Bathing and Cleansing Centre and another
Woman Public Health Officer was engaged.
After numerous representations to the Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods over the years by the Council
regarding the frequent overflowing of the River Ravensbourne
and the damage caused to adjacent dwellings, an Act for the
improvement and prevention of flooding of this river and its
tributaries was introduced during 1961.
A case of smallpox in a neighbouring Borough in 1962,
occasioned strenuous efforts on the part of the Department and
the County Council and emergency vaccinations were carried
out at Clinics and, when necessary, in homes of suspected
contacts.
Substantial increases in the numbers of homeless in the
London area resulted in the L.C.C. seeking licences to use
vacant sites in the Borough for the erection of mobile homes.
It further stimulated the Government to set up the Milner
Holland Committee which published a Report in 1965 which
was ultimately to arouse deep feelings and prompt a movement
for further housing legislation.
Two new ventures in relation to services for the elderly
were made during 1963; one, the introduction of luncheon clubs
to augment the "Meals-on-Wheels" scheme and the other, a
chiropody service for the less able-bodied and physically handicapped
of the older groups. Moreover, in order to ensure
vacations for its elderly citizens, the Council purchased a holiday
hotel at Westgate-on-Sea which became fully operational in
March, 1964.