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the majority of these should be ground floor or there should be few
stairs to climb. A more elaborate scheme is one with small bungalows,
accommodation for a Warden, wife and family, communal rooms and
visitors' bedrooms. These schemes require co-operation between
several authorities, but they do provide, day and night, a man's advice
and help for the men, and a woman's advice and help for the women.
In an area of Beckenham's size and character the practical dayto-day
need is to bring old persons from unsuitable top floor or back
of the house flats to ground floor and front positions. Th; majority
of these old persons in need are single—either widows or widowers,
spinsters or bachelors. Most old persons, either single or married,
are known through the Health Visitor service or the W.V.S. ; the
latter hear through friends who attend the Clubs. Visits enable
information to be obtained as to the name and address of nearest
relative, other occupants of the household, whether a home help or
district nurse, or the Meals on Wheels service is required. Notes are
made of financial resources and a survey of safety measures is carried
out.
In this area there are no requests for a laundry service or a shopping
service.
A Foot Clinic is run by the Red Cross and helped by the
B.O.P.W.C. Many persons need transport to get to the Clinic.
Vaccination and Immunisation.
Section 26 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, gives
authorities under this Act powers to introduce arrangements with
medical practitioners for vaccination against Smallpox and immunisation
against Diphtheria (and against other diseases if so directed by
the Minister), and the necessary vaccines, etc., are distributed free
of charge.
Under this section, most authorities included measures such as
Smallpox vaccination, immunisation against Diphtheria, and immunisation
against Whooping Cough, and with the advent of a
Poliomyelitis vaccine schemes were modified to include this measure.
During the year 2,338 immunisations against Diphtheria, 802
vaccinations against Smallpox and 73 B.C.G. vaccinations against
T.B. (Chest Clinic) were carried out.
In conclusion, I wish to thank Dr. Elliott, Dr. Lyon and Dr.
Ward and other members of the County Staff, including the District
Officer, Mr. Moore, for their co-operation during the past year.
The continued teamwork of the Health Department has been a
feature of the work of the Inspectors and Clerical Staff, to whom I
wish to record my thanks and appreciation. Members of the Health
Committee have tackled a variety of health problems with administrative
fairness and decisive action, and I thank them for their help,
consideration and continued enthusiasm.
L. R. L. EDWARDS,
Medical Officer of Health.
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