View report page

Returns have also been received from hospitals in London of both
in-patients and out-patients treated for injuries arising from home
accidents for the six months from July to December. During this period
183 Stepney residents were treated. Sixty-six accidents were due to
falls and 55 to cutting or piercing instruments. A Table giving more
detailed information is given on page 57.
Old people are prone to home accidents and the Department's Women
Hygiene Officers pay great attention to this during their visiting; as
for example where accidents from gas appliances have occurred, or are
likely to occur, they have been instrumental in obtaining for the old
people concerned a special safety-type gas cooker.
Following a fire which occurred in a house in the Home Counties in
November, it was discovered that drip-feed radiant oil heaters could
give rise to serious fires when operated in draughts commonly encountered
in dwellings. In a Parliamentary Answer in the House of Commons, the
Home Secretary stated that the number of fires in the home caused by
heaters in 1958 were as follows:-
Oil heaters 2,128
Electric heaters 928
Gas heaters 84
An exhibit showing the work of the Department in relation to safety
in the home formed part of an exhibition on "Stepney's Housing Progress"
held during April at the Council's Mile End Library.
Unemployment.
The Ministry of Labour has kindly supplied me with the following
information as to the estimated number of persons residing in the Borough
who were registered as unemployed at the end of the year :-
Men Boys Women Girls
1,609 14 214 17 - Total: 1,854.
The total number of unemployed at the end of 1958 was 2,447.
Open Spaces.
There is in the Borough a little over half-an-acre of Parks and
Open Spaces per 1,000 population. A list of the sites is given on
page 76.
Comparative Statistics.
A Table showing vital statistics for the Borough for various years
from 1901 is on page 58.
10