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It was thought that in 1960 the number of articles to be washed and ironed
in 1961 might reach 20,000. As will be seen it exceeded 25.000.
So far 363 collections are recorded for a lady of 34 with disseminated sclerosis.
This complaint forced her to leave University and she is now in the terminal stages
of the disease. Only her mother understands her efforts to speak, she is almost
blind and deaf, and has very little muscular control. Her mother does not wish
her to leave home.
A man of 85, born paralysed from the waist down, managed to get from the
floor to a chair and then to sit on a table on which he worked as a cobbler until
he retired. His agility in his old age was amazing. He died during the year.
A lady with congenital paralysis cared for her mother until her death at 103.
She was then admitted to hospital with anaemia at the age of 72.
Almost blind, an alcoholic aged 78, of violent nature had ill-treated his wife
since their early marriage. He refused to co-operate with the laundry collector,
and crammed a cupboard under the stairs with fouled clothing and bedding. At
the time of the first visit his wife was just out of hospital after treatment for
coronary thrombosis.
The youngest on the list is that of a boy of 9 years. He was a normal baby
until the age of 11 months, at which age he fell ill with tuberculous meningitis.
Oblivious of his environment, a blind deaf mute with no co-ordinated muscular
movement. Although needing constant care his mother wishes him to stay at home.
To end this collection, reference must be made to a request from the district
nurse for an assisted bath and laundry service for a man with a cervical syringeomyelia
and psoriasis. Despite his affliction he is a most endearing man. He
welcomed the suggestion of a bath, but refused the laundry idea as he would miss
the company of the lady who came to do his washing.