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14
old persons or chronic sick who become acutely ill or who are in
the terminal stage of their illness. These types of cases need continuous
care and treatment, and it is just these requirements which
cannot be met in the home.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948
Under Section 47 of this Act power is given to the Councils of
County Boroughs and County Districts to apply to a Court of
Summary Jurisdiction for an Order for removal and detention, in
a suitable hospital or other place, of persons who
(a) are suffering from grave chronic disease, or, being aged,
infirm or physically incapacitated, are living in insanitary
conditions; and
(b) are unable to devote to themselves, and are not re-
ceiving from other persons, proper care and attention.
Several cases were brought to our notice during the year and in
most of these it was possible by co-operating with the local hospital
to arrange for the persons concerned to be admitted. However,
in two cases it was found necessary to take action under Section 47.
The first of these cases concerned a man aged 82. When I
visited following a complaint I found that his clothing and bedding
were dirty and foul smelling. His rooms were dirty and the kitchen
appeared not to have been used for cooking for some time. He
was physically weak and nobody was looking after him. He could
not be persuaded to enter a suitable home and as his condition did
not improve I decided that it would be in the man's interests if
he were removed to an institution.
The other case was that of a woman over 80 years of age, and
the circumstances were similar.
Orders were obtained authorising their detention for three
months, and, in the case of the man, this period was extended as
his physical condition did not improve. The woman became a
voluntary patient and both were still in an institution at the endi
of the year.