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DECEASED PERSONS.
Inquests. Inquests were held on 58 residents of the Borough, the
verdicts being 8 deaths due to road accidents; 22 other accidents; 21
suicides; 1 homicide; 1 misadventure; 3 natural causes; 1 open verdict,
and 1 due to excessive alcoholism.
Burials. Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, places
a duty on the Council to arrange for the burial of any persons found
dead within the Borough where no private arrangements have been made.
Twenty-five such burials (22 adults, 2 children under ten, and one
stillborn baby) took place, during the year, at a cost of £254, of which
sum £142 was recovered by the end of the year from the estates of the
deceased persons or from liable relatives or by way of grants made under
the National Insurance Act, 1946.
Requests for burial came from the following sources:-
H.M. Coroner's Officer 16
Relatives of Deceased 6
Friends of Deceased 3
It is often necessary where persons living alone die in the Borough,
to dispose of the contents of their homes. This is done in conjunction
with relatives of the deceased, or with the Treasury Solicitor where
there are no known relatives, and has the effect of releasing the
accommodation for housing purposes as soon as possible.
Six bodies recovered from the river were received into the Mortuary
during the year.
FREE WASHING FACILITIES.
The Council provides free washing facilities in sixteen of the 22
public conveniences, with the aim of promoting food hygiene and cleanliness.
Some 88,000 free washes were taken during the year.
HEALTH EDUCATION.
Health education is becoming an increasingly more important activity
of local authorities.
Every effort is made to reach as broad a section of the public as
possible in the dissemination of publicity relating to general health
matters, whilst educational material relative to particular subjects is
distributed to selected sections of the public as applicable in each case.
The Council co-operated with the London County Council in its Annual
Home Safety Week Campaign in November, with the emphasis being laid on the
prevention of falls which account for some 60% of fatal home accidents.
In conjunction with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
14