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24 cases of scabies were notified during the year. These were
investigated by the Health Visitors and, where necessary, treatment
arranged at the Public Health Station.

NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948, SECTION 50
During the year 8 funerals were carried out under the National
Assistance Act, 1948.
The work involved in this function of the Public Health Department
is very extensive. We are fortunate in Hampstead in not having a very
large number of cases to deal with, but each case has to be very fully
investigated. In the case of elderly persons who have lived alone, the
task of tracing relatives and friends is not an easy one. Insurance
policies, bank balances, pensions, death grants have all to be dealt with.
Personal effects have to be sold or disposed of, and, if necessary, the
Treasury Solicitor communicated with.
In two cases—a male aged 71 and a newly born female, where there
was no possibility of recovering any money from the estate of the deceased
and no liable relatives could be traced—the amounts of the funeral
expenses were written off. One case of a Danish national was referred
to the Town Clerk for further investigation into the affairs of the deceased.
In four cases the funeral expenses were recovered in full and in the
remaining case payment was being made by instalments.
The total cost of the funerals carried out during the year was
£56 15s. 6d. and an amount of £36 17s. 2d. was recovered from liable
relatives and the estates of deceased persons.
National Assistance Act, 1948, Section 47
I have already alluded in the foreword to this Report to the desperate
plight of many aged and infirm persons living in the Borough under
insanitary conditions and in need of care and attention.
Fortunately, my Department was able to deal with the sixty-seven
cases brought to its notice without recourse to the Courts for orders for
compulsory removals to hospitals or institutions.