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NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT 1948 - Section 47
It unfortunately became necessary to remove two elderly persons
to institutional care during the year. Both cases were in need of care
and attention and were unwilling to leave their homes.
Case A aged 69 years, was suffering from gross self neglect and
malnutrition and was admitted to St. Georges Hospital, Hornchurch where
he died a month later.
Case B aged 83 years, had been deteriorating slowly for a number
of years, and although ambulant, was living in insanitary conditions
and it finally became necessary to seek an Order for removal. The patient
was admitted to an Old People's Home where she settled down quite
happily.
ANTI-SMOKING CLINIC
The danger to health from smoking was the theme of a health
education exhibit at the Dagenham Town Show in July 1971. and as
a result of the public interest shown, a pilot anti-smoking clinic
was held at Julia Engwell Clinic.
Two courses under the direction of a Senior Medical Officer
were arranged. Each consisted of five evening sessions at which films
were shown and lectures given. Group therapy techniques were used
to reinforce the desire to give up smoking. The courses were followed
by re-union meetings six months later to evaluate the success of the
course.
A total of 14 persons commenced attending the first course and
30 the second. After six months five members of the first course
and six of the second were still not smoking.
The consensus of opinion of those who attended was that the
course had helped them considerably but that a more intensive
programme was necessary to sustain the will of the majority of persons
not to smoke during the first few weeks of withdrawal from nicotine.
The limitation of the Department's resources available for this
purpose, however, did not permit a more ambitious programme.
CYTOLOGY SERVICE 1971
The total number of patients seen in 1971 was 1,440 which is
500 less than last year. It is a salutary reminder how important continuous
publicity is in preventive work. The comparison of the year
1970 with 1971 also emphasises how much more effective is the personal
touch in publicity. The informative letters enclosed in the pay slips
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