London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Walthamstow 1961

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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49
cases to be dealt with twice weekly, and in 1956 a part-time laundress
was appointed so that the whole of the Service could be carried out at
the Disinfecting Station, and arrangements with the local contractor
were cancelled.
There is no doubt that the success of this scheme has proved
beneficial to those old persons where relatives are unable to cope
with soiled linen,, because during the whole period of this Service
there has been not one single complaint. During the first year a
total of 12 esses (average of four per week) were dealt with. Up to
the end of 1961 the total number of cases dealt with had reached 114.
Of these 30 were still using the Service. In addition, in December
1961 the Borough Council agreed to undertake the service for two
neighbouring authorities on a financial cost basis.

The following table shows the number of cases dealt with during 1961 and how the Service has increased since its inauguration in 1954.

19611954
Total number of persons3012
Average number of cases per week154
Total number of articles laundered11,8721,287
Average number of articles per week23329
Total number of journeys1,128336

Old people and the Work of the Public Health inspector
Contact between the Public Health Inspectors and Old People
arises mainly in connection with visits concerning domestic accomm
odation or associated matters. In this respect, the old people them
selves are not necessarily a problem, but more the unfortunate
victims of circumstances associated with their stage of life, and
the problems hinge more on economical factors than on direct public
health matters.
The main reasons for calls in connection with old people arise
in much the same manner as calls generally for all walks of life
repair of property, unsatisfactory housing, and visits in connection
with alterations to fireplaces by virture of the operation of the
Clean Air Act. The fact that the majority of old people have retired
from work removes them from the sphere of duties which involve
factories, shops, food premises and other non-domestic premises.
The special problem of old people living in dirty conditions
and in need of care and attention is in effect an exceptional state
of affairs, rather than a generality, and the Public Health Inspector
is only one officer of the many people involved in the event of one
of this category of person being discovered. This type of person
the recluse or the invalid requiring the resources of the Council's