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Swimming Bath Water.
During the year 51 samples of swimming bath water were taken from the
public baths at Woolwich, Plumstead and Eltham. These samples were submitted
to the Park Hospital for bacteriological testing for the determination of the number
of coli form bacillus, and all the samples proved satisfactory.

Boating and Paddling Pools
1 reported in 1951 that a series of macroscopical and bacteriological tests of
the water in the four boating and paddling pools in the Borough had been carried
out. To bring about a satisfactory method of purification of the water, chlorination
experiments were carried out during 1952, and it is anticipated that the regular
addition of chloride of lime to the water in the pools will control satisfactorily the
bacteriological content of the water.
Welfare of Aged and Infirm Persons.
There are estimated to be over 10,000 old people living in the Borough at
present, and it can be assumed that their numbers will continue to increase, and
perhaps be almost doubled, in the next 25 years. The Health Department's work
relating to old people is concerned mainly with their health and the conditions
in which they are living.
The Council's woman visitor, who is a Sanitary Inspector and a qualified
nurse, is now spending almost the whole of her time on the work of visiting the
elderly. Much of this work requires a careful approach. Often where an elderly
person is found to be living in insanitary conditions and without proper care and
attention it has been possible to persuade the person to enter a home or a hospital,
and this has usually been arranged. During the year it was not necessary to
apply for a Magistrate's Order for the compulsory removal of a person under
Section 47 of the National Assistance Act, 1948.
This year the number of visits made by the Council's visitor to the elderly
was greater than in the previous year, increasing from 1,620 to 2,334 visits. In
this way the Department has been able to exercise fairly regular supervision of the
most needy cases coming to its attention.
Whilst it is the duty of the general practitioner to arrange admissions to hospital
for appropriate cases, it is found by experience that removal to a hospital is often
expedited by the Council's liaison with the hospital authority and as a result of
our reports on the patient's home circumstances. Close co-operation with all
the bodies working for the welfare of the elderly in the Borough is maintained.
Woolwich Old People's Welfare Committee. The Woolwich Old People's
Welfare Committee, which is a Standing Committee of the Woolwich Council of
Social Service, concerns itself with the whole field of welfare work for the local
aged. Representatives of various statutory and voluntary organisations in the
Borough are members of this Committee. The day-to-day practical voluntary work
for old people is carried out through special committees concerned with the meals
service, the old people's clubs and the visitors' panel, and through the Personal
Service Committee, whose work to a very large extent consists of dealing with
the problems of old people. There is also a special committee which is formed
with the object of establishing a voluntary Home in the neighbourhood for active
old people.
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