View report page

24 REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1959
The source of water for one of the Borough Council's baths is
from an artesian well and for the other baths, including that owned
by the London County Council, from the Metropolitan Water
Board's supply. Up to 18 months ago, one of the Borough Council's
baths was operated on the "fill and empty" system but a modern
filtration and chlorinating plant has now been installed so that all
the public swimming baths in the Borough now operate a modern
process of continuous circulation through a filtration plant with
chlorination of the water. The same process operates in the case of
the London County Council open air swimming bath.
During the year bacteriological samples were taken from the
Borough Council baths and the bacteriological reports were satisfactory.
In the case of the London County Council open air bath, I
am informed that samples were also taken which also were found to
be satisfactory.
In addition to the public swimming baths, there are four private
swimming baths in the Borough, to one of which the public may be
admitted. These all have continuous filtration and chlorination
plants and some bacteriological samples were taken during the year
which proved to be satisfactory.
Removal to suitable premises of persons in need of care and attention—
National Assistance Act, 1948, Section 47
In dealing with the problems of the many aged and infirm persons
in the Borough, close liaison has been maintained between the Public
Health Staff and those members of the London County Council
divisional staff who are concerned with the care of the aged.
This co-operation with the County Council has meant that in
dealing with the large number of aged persons whose capacity to look
after themselves adequately was in question, it was again possible to
make satisfactory arrangements for their care and attention without
the neccessity of having to take action under Section 47 of the National
Assistance Act, 1948.
Laundering of Bed Linen of Aged and Infirm
Facilities have been made available by the Council for the
cleansing of fouled bed linen and personal effects of aged and
incontinent persons living alone.
At the beginning of the year collections and washing of bed linen
in respect of three such cases were being dealt with and a further
18 cases were investigated during the year. In the majority of these,
it has been necessary to arrange for the articles to be collected at
regular intervals for cleansing and return to the owners. A total of
401 lots of fouled linen were collected and cleansed in 1959.