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Child Minding
This was the subject of another special campaign during the year, and was directed
both to minders, as a warning of their obligations for registration and observance of the
various requirements, and also to mothers to ensure that child minders having care of their
children were properly registered. This publicity included another specially designed
poster and leaflet.
Home Safety
Accidents in the home continue to impose upon the medical and nursing services a
serious strain which, to some extent, must be regarded as potentially avoidable.
Carelessness, ignorance and faulty manufacture of goods all contribute to accidents, and
the need for sustained education in this field is a high priority which has been maintained
by continuous publicity throughout the year on the numerous hazards which threaten all
ages. The following information from the London Fire Brigade shows an increase in fire
calls in the Borough compared with the previous year, although these figures do not
indicate any degree of severity but an encouraging decrease in oil heater fires.
1968 1969
Fires in premises (excluding following) 1,571 2,120
Chimney and grass fires 202 233
Oil heater fires 50 39
During 1969 the Department of Health and Social Security drew attention to the
increasing extent of hospital treatment which was becoming necessary to deal with cases
of acute poisoning. The accidental drug overdose is only part of this situation; many cases
occur through medicines or poisonous domestic substances being easily accessible to
young children, and to toxic liquids stored in wrongly labelled bottles or in cabinets
together with medicines. Poisonous plants also present a risk to the town child who is
unfamiliar with their properties.
Water safety
In a communication to local authorities the Secretary of State expressed concern at
the many hundreds of people drowned each year. Seventy five per cent of those fatalities
occur in inland waters and this aspect is of particular significance in Southwark which is
intersected by the Surrey Canal. A publicity campaign was maintained throughout the
summer to warn both mothers and children of the danger of playing near the Canal and
stressing the importance of learning to swim.
The following table shows deaths of Southwark residents, registered up to the end
of 1969, in which home or drowning accidents were either the primary or a contributory
cause of death.
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