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43
stoving of their bedding and clothing. The lady's clothing consisted of a pair of
stiletto heel shoes and a full length frock only. They were living in furnished rooms
which they said were bug infested. Except for the mattress the bedding was their
own property and "to keep it clean" it was rolled up and strapped to the motorcycle
on which they went to work each day. The wife using the bedding as a pillion
seat. The Health Inspector visited the premises, and reported that there was no
foundation for the statement of bug infestation.
An old man of no fixed abode was taken to the West London Hospital after
collapsing in the street. His underclothing was a moving mass of lice. These were
soon liberally shared by those in attendance.
A well-dressed man passing through the Borough expressed pleasure and thanks
for the cleansing he received. In his haste to leave he misplaced the bath towel,
bath cloth, nail brush and soap.
Of the verminous conditions treated only two had impetigo of the head.
The cleansing of aged persons under the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1953, Sec. 43, at regular intervals and specified times is a new venture
by this department. It is a service which needs careful planning. Firstly, there must
be transport available, which means that laundry collection and disinfestation times
must be considered. Secondly, it is necessary for staff to be spared from other duties,
and lastly, very important from the point of view of those concerned, it must not
coincide with the visit to their homes of the meals service van, and in some cases
the Home Help and the district nurse. It has been possible to accommodate up to
10 persons in one week.
The service was inaugurated in the autumn and was made possible by the
improvements in the Medicinal Baths, and the employment of an additional member
on the laundry staff, who is available for limited periods to assist in cleansing work.
The baths are greatly appreciated by the arthritic elderly, who gain confidence
from assistance they receive and express pleasure in a "floating warmth." If suitable
times could be arranged it is estimated that twenty persons per week could
be dealt with under the present circumstances.
In all cases the person requesting help is certified, by his or her doctor, as fit
to travel to the baths before the service is provided.
Relations or friends could play a big part in helping the elderly, both the active,
or slow moving, if they gave them a ride to the baths in their car. It would often
allow the bathing to be done at a time to suit their convenience, as conveyance to
and from the baths takes up more time than the actual bathing, and transport is our
main difficulty. In one case a person was brought to the baths in a car by a nurse
of the British Red Cross Society.
This is a service about which enquiries are made mainly in early Summer,
but is not regarded by the elderly with any enthusiasm during the winter months.
The peak period therefore clashes with the difficult time of annual leave-taking by
the staff. Although this section of the Act allows bathing at the place where the
person resides, this is not practicable with the present staff. From 1953-1960 an
average of two cases a year were dealt with as emergencies, but during this year the
total rose to 187.
Steam Sterilisation
During the year a total of 1,157 articles of bedding and clothing from the West
London Hospital, and 300 mattresses from Olympia were sterilised. In addition 22
requests for the disinfecting of 488 articles of clothing, to be posted abroad, were
received and clearance certificates issued.
For the last quarter of the year the sterilizer was in constant use as, in addition
to its normal work, it acted as a drier for the laundry during the alterations.