London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

City of Westminster 1937

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]

This page requires JavaScript

91
who reside near busy streets where late motor traffic frequently interrupts
the hours of sleep.
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, Section 224.—Removal of Aged, Infirm
or Physically Incapacitated Persons to Suitable Institutions.
Eighteen cases of elderly persons living alone and unable to devote to
themselves proper care and attention were dealt with during the year.
In one case it was necessary to obtain the authority of the Public Health
committee for application to be made to the court for an order for the
removal to hospital of an infirm elderly woman living alone in a single
room in a dirty and insanitary state.
An order was obtained for her removal to St. Stephen's Hospital,
but fortunately it was not necessary to put the order into operation.
Persuasion by the council's officers, strengthened by the fact that an
order for her removal had been obtained, resulted in her agreeing to
enter a home for aged persons, provided by a benevolent society.
These elderly people, mostly incurably ill and living in conditions of
distress and filth, are quite unable to realize that removal to hospital
for care and nursing is in their best interest. They are sometimes
unreasonably obdurate and it speaks well for the persuasiveness of the
Council's officers in dealing with them that in only one case out of 18
had application to be made to the Court. In fact, this is the first application
of the kind in five years.
Disinfection.—Disinfection of rooms in cases of notifiable infectious
disease is carried out free of charge, the method employed being the
formaldehyde spray. Bedding and wearing apparel are removed to the
disinfecting station for treatment by steam disinfection. Books are
treated with formalin.
For non-notifiable infectious and other conditions disinfection is
carried out on request, and a charge is made according to the circumstances
of the case.
Cleansing of Persons.—The cleansing of persons and disinfection of
their clothing, etc., are carried out by the disinfecting staff. Individuals,
numbering 348 men, 63 women, and 14 children (under school age), were
given medicated baths at the disinfecting station, making 617 attendances,
and 9,847 articles of clothing, bedding, etc., were disinfected. Visits to
premises for vermin numbered 120.