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48
Here we illustrate two typical examples of patients covered by
these services;
Mrs. A. aged 74 years suffering from disseminated sclerosis
with incontinency, is confined to wheelchair, spends
six weeks in Langthorne and six weeks at home.
Domestic Help attends daily, lighting fire, giving
breakfast,(meals on wheels are delivered mid day.)
sandwiches and flask of tea are left for tea, does
personal washing and ironing and in fact makes this
patient generally comfortable.
Mrs. B. aged 70 years suffering from a fibrous growth on lung
cardiac and severe arthritis, is entirely helpless,
relies upon this service seven days a week to perform
such tasks as emptying toilet bucket, making bed and
putting everything at hand for patients needs through
out the day. together with keeping her home clean
shopping and personal washing etc. An hour is given on
Saturdays and Sundays to give patient immediate comforts,
Laundry service for the incontinent
In 1953 the Borough Council held a Conference on the problems
and progress of Old Peoples' Welfare and reference was made to the
need for a Laundry Service for the Incontinent. Subsequently it was
reported that such a Service could be carried out within the terms
of Section 84 of the Public Health Act 1936, which gives power ' to
cleanse at the Authority s expense upon a certificate signed by the
Medical Officer of Health or the Public Health Inspector any article
that requires to be cleansed in order to prevent injury or danger of
injury to the health of any person in the premises.
A pilot scheme was authorised and arrangements were made with a
local laundry for the laundering of the articles after preliminary
cleansing and disinfection at the Council s Disinfecting Station.
The articles dealt with are mainly bed linen, night clothing or
underclothing and the service is free to the patient. The Service
is only carried out where the Medical Officer of Health or Public
Health Inspector gives a certificate and where it is impossible for
the washing to be done at home by a relative or Domestic Help. The
necessary equipment was installed at the Disinfecting Station and
the collection preliminary cleansing, rinsing and disinfecting
carried out by the Disinfecting Staff. The Service was commenced on
1st March 1954 and collection was made weekly and the articles
returned completely laundered within approximately 24 hours.
Experience conclusively proved the need of this Service and
authority was given for additional equipnent i.e. a steam washing
machine and a hydro extractor to be provided and this was installed
in 1955. Later in the year further improvements were authorised with
a view to the extension of the Service to enable some of the worst