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161
Prevention must realise that continued education of the public is
the foremost remedy.
As was mentioned in previous reports, it is useless educating
the child without educating the mother. It is also useless educating
the elderly without educating those who might have to look after
them.
Once again the three most prominent causes of these accidents,
with serious complications, according to the statistics supplied by
the Hospital Authorities, were given as follows:—
1. Falls: Being the chief danger to old people.
2. Burns/Scalds: Affect both the young and old people.
3. Poisoning/Suffocation: Being the danger to adults,
especially in relation to gas, medicinal substances, through
overdoses, mistakes, etc. Also to the very young persons
who find drugs, tablets, medicines, detergents, etc., loose
in cupboards, drawers, and finally to the small babies
without adequate net screens on prams and cots against
domestic pets, and the dangerous use of soft pillows and
plastic bibs, etc.
Local Campaigns 1971
In an effort to try and reduce these appalling numbers of home
accidents, it is hoped that the Home Safety Committees within the
Borough will co-operate with the Royal Society for the Prevention
of Accidents in their National Campaign for the year, which is as
follows:—
January—March: Burns/Scalds.
April—June: Household Poisons, Drugs, Medicines.
July—September Plan a Competition.
October—December: Fire Stafety, Fireworks, Christmas
hazards.