View report page

23
them. She is a frail little woman who gradually became incapable
of looking after herself. Both she and the room became dirty, she
complained of abdominal pain after eating but she apparently lived
on bread and butter and tea only, she had many falls and at times
bruised herself severely. Her only method of heating and cooking
was an open fire and she refused to have a fireguard. She
strenuously refused all offers of help of any kind.
The Magistrates made an Order for her removal to Luxborough
Lodge (L, C. C.) and her maintenance there for a period of
six weeks. Before the expiry of the Order she settled down and has
agreed to remain voluntarily and an extension of the Order was not
required.
The second case was one of a woman of 83 years of age who
was much addicted to alcohol and snuff. Her room was extremely
dirty and she refused offers of help but she was given some attention
by an adult son, a single man who was normally at work all day.
She had a severe fall and her doctor, after the limited examination
which she would allow considered that she probably had a fractured
femur. In spite of the pain which she was obviously suffering she
refused to go to hospital or to be properly examined.
An Order was obtained under the urgency provisions of the
National Assistance (Amendment) Act, 1951, for her removal to
hospital and her detention there for a period not exceeding three
weeks,
Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting her removed
to hospital and on arrival there she flatly refused to be put
into a bed. After some time it was possible to examine her and to
establish that she had not in fact fractured her femur. Partly in
the interest of the other patients and in view of the fact that the
Order had not stated any fixed period, but only a period not exceeding
three weeks, the hospital authorities considered that the
Magistrates Order had been complied with and she was allowed
home-much to the distress of the other occupants of the house.
After a period of discomfort for everybody she recovered from
her injury and reverted to her previous way of life, apparently
less affected by her experience than those around her.
Early in 1961 the unmarried son who looked after her to
some extent, became ill and was taken to hospital and it may well
be that this lady will feature again in the next Annual Report.