London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Southall 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]
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HOME SAFETY
The number who died as a result of accident other than motor vehicle accident was 19 in 1964, compared with 21 in 1963 and 14 in 1962. Seven of the accidental deaths were the result of accident in the home, six happened in hospital, one on the railway, three were found drowned, and two were killed at work.
| Cause of Death | Age | Sex |
|---|---|---|
| Fall at home, causing broken neck | 63 | M |
| Found dead on railway line (unidentified person) | 40-55 | M |
| Fall in hospital | 75 | M |
| Struck by falling concrete beam | 40 | M |
| Fall at home, causing burns from electric fire | 83 | M |
| Fall—struck by swing door | 32 | M |
| Found drowned | 48 | M |
| Found drowned | 33 | M |
| Found drowned | 50 | M |
| Acute alcoholism—asphyxia from regurgitated food | 35 | M |
| Asphyxia—cause unspecified | 42 | M |
| Electrocuted at home | 11 mths | M |
| Burns | 75 | M |
| Injury at work—struck by moving object | 35 | M |
| Fall in hospital—fracture of femur | 88 | F |
| Fall in hospital—fracture of femur | 74 | F |
| Fall at home—fracture of femur | 77 | F |
| Burns—clothing set alight when smoking | 68 | F |
| Lead poisoning—swallowed paint at home | 4 | F |
There were 8 suicides (8 also in 1963); 4 swallowed drugs; 2 were found hanged,
and 2 died from gas poisoning. The ages of these varied from 22 to 75.
Education on safety in the home continued in 1964. The new watchdogs for safety,
the Consumer's Council, are reinforcing the work done in the past only by Voluntary
Women's Societies to help the Medical Officer in the fight against shoddy, cheap, dangerous
products, and during the year legislation, i.e. The Children's Nightdresses Regulations,
1964 (made under the Consumer Protection Act, 1961) prohibited the sale of children's
nightdresses made of dangerous fabrics easy to catch fire. Unfortunately the legislation
did not extend to the sale of fabrics for home dressmaking, and it can be seen that this
would probably be impossible to legislate for—so Home Safety Education must continue
on this subject.
It is encouraging to realise from the figures above that accidents occurring in the
home were almost down to one-half as many as in 1963, i.e. 7 compared with 12. But it
is difficult to make any estimate of the amount of disability caused in the community
because of home accidents, as, so far, no scheme has been successful in obtaining notification
of home accidents. Perhaps in the new bigger Borough, staff will be available to check
daily with private practitioners and Hospitals on individual accidents and their causes
and effects, whether in the home, at work or in the street. As this is probably the biggest
cause of long, or even life-long disablement or chronic ill-health, this seems to be a most
urgent public health problem.
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