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should realise that much help is still needed to be given to persons
suffering from the disease,
Extra nourishment was given during the year to 117 patients through
the London County Council Extra Nourishment Scheme, and 41 patients went
for recuperative convalescent holidays.
Help was also given to 86 persons by way of clothing, extra nourishment,
bedding, holiday expenses, radio licences, and fares to relatives
visiting patients in sanatoria. The Care Committee again provided r
day's coach outing to the sea for 23 patients and Christmas gifts for
53 patients. The Annuel Christmas Seal Sale Fund amounted to £194,
and this was supplemented by donations from various organisations, for
which the Care Committee is most grateful. Where possible, grants were
obtained from statutory and voluntary funds, but where these could not
be obtained, the funds of the Committee were used.
The London County Council two years ago appointed an Occupational
Therapist to visit homebound patients to teach them handicraft work,
the Care Committee paying for most of the materials and tools and
helping with the sale of the articles made.
Whooping Cough.
Seventy-seven cases were notified during the year, the figure, for
1956 being 235. There were no deaths from the disease.
♦ • • •
Infectious Disea.se Contacts.
Where a person is precluded from continuing at work, by reason of
being a carrier or having been in contact with an infectious disease,
benefits under the National Insurance Act, 1946, are only paid on
production of a certificate from the Medical Officer of Health. It
was found necessary to issue one such certificate during the year.
Authentication of International Certificates of Vaccination
and Inoculation.
A person proceeding abroad is required in certain countries to
produce a certificate of recent successful, vaccination and inoculation,
and, in addition, the signature of the vaccinating doctor must be
verified by the Medical Officer of Health of the district. The
signatures on 1,013 such certificates were verified by me during the
year as those of medical practitioners practising in Stepney, and the
certificates were endorsed accordingly,
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