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from accidents in the home than from any single infectious disease.
When one considers that there must be many less serious, though
perhaps crippling accidents for every fatal one, the extent of the
problem can be realised.
Bearing in mind these National figures for 1949, an analysis
of the figures for Enfield residents for 1951 was made, but a completely
similar pattern was not evident. 28 fatal accidents from
all causes occurred to Enfield persons, equally divided between
the sexes ; 11 were road accidents, 14 were home accidents ; 1 was
a drowning accident; 1 was a railway accident, and 1 an accident
in a park.
Most of the 14 home accidents involved elderly women, and
only 1 child (a boy of 18 months) was included. The average age
of the male adults was 71 years and the female adults 78 years.
13 of the 14 deaths were due to falls, causing fracture of femur,
followed by lung complications in 7 cases, and injury to the brain
in 5 cases. Shock, due to burns by falling on the fire, was the
cause of death in the thirteenth case. The remaining fatal accident
was due to scalds from a hot water bottle.
The outstanding points in these local figures of home accidents
are the high proportion of elderly females involved, the single
instance of one child, the fact that there were more fatal accidents
in the home than on the roads, and that fatal home accidents
equalled those from all other causes.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948
No action was necessary during the year under Section 47 of
the National Assistance Act, 1948, with regard to the removal to
suitable premises of persons in need of care and attention.
Such cases as were brought to the notice of the Health Department
were dealt with by the Medical Officer of Health in co-operation
with the Medical Practitioners, and the patients voluntarily
agreed to go to suitable institutions.
AMBULANCE FACILITIES
Under the National Health Service Act, 1946, the duty of
providing an Ambulance Service devolves upon the County Council,
and from the 5th July, 1948 the Middlesex County Council Fire and
Ambulance Service has been responsible for the Ambulance
Service previously controlled by the Health Department of the
Enfield Council.