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VI MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES, ETC.
ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME
The powers and duties of the Council under the Home Safety Act 1961, relating to the
dissemination of information and advice for promoting safety in the home and encouraging proper
precautions against accidents, are exercisable by the Health Committee, Health Education for the
prevent ion of home accidents has continued throughout the year, with particular reference both to
those groups at greatest risk and to the most prevalent causes
Inquests were held during the year on 21 fatalities in the borough arising from accidents
which occurred in the home.
Five adults died from accidental poisoning and many children were admitted to hospital or
treated as out patients after swallowing medicines in tablet or capsule form. Special publicity
was arranged during the year on the necessity for preventing medicines and other dangerous
materials from being accessible to children and for unwanted medicines to be disposed of.
AMBULANCE FACILITIES
The Greater London Council is responsible under Section 27 of the National Health Service
Act 1946 for the provision of ambulance transport in the area.
AUTHENTICATION OF INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATES
OF VACCINATION AND INOCULATION
Persons proceeding abroad are required in certain countries to produce a certificate of
recent successful vaccination and/or inoculation, and in addition the signature of the vaccinating
doctor must be verified by the medical officer of health of the district During the year 4,681
signatures on certificates were verified as those of medical practitioners practising in the
borough and the certificates endorsed accordingly.
CONFERENCES
Conferences and courses attended by members of the Council and/or officers of the department
are summarised on pages 118-126.
DECEASED PERSONS
Inquests
Inquests were held on 134 residents of the borough during the year, the verdicts being 28
deaths due to road accidents, 41 other accidents, 30 suicide, 6 misadventure, 7 manslaughter,
2 alcoholism. 13 open verdicts, 1 unascertain able and 2 natural causes. There were three verdicts
of murder and a decision in one case was adjourned.
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