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Boy, ages 4½ months Burns on fingers from grasping
hot iron„
Girl, aged 1½ years - Severe burns pulled kettle of
boiling water over herself.
Girl, aged 1 year Fractured skull from fall.
Girl, aged 4 years - Scald of hand; pulled kettle of
boiling water on herself,
Girl, aged 1 year - Scald; pulled cup of hot milk over
hersel f.
In each of these instances the accident would have been easily preventable
as the secondary cause was obviously carelessness or haste.
There is no question of faulty equipment or unavoidable faults to be seen
amongst these cases, and it seems that propaganda for home safety must be directed
and very steadily maintained to warn against the carelessness of the adult human
being especially when responsible for the safety of young children
WELFARE
OLD PEOPLE
During 1955, 18 cases of old people in need of care and attention were
brought to the notice of the Public Health Department,
No patient was found to be in such conditions as to require statutory action
under the National Assistance Act.
Details of the 18 cases are as follows:-
Removed to Hospital 5
Removed to Old People's Home . 2
Remained at home with Home Help assistance
and meals 1
Remained at home with meals only 3
Remained at home with district nursing
assistance 1
Remained at home - no help required 3
Remained at home - refused all help although
help desirable 1
Died at home 2
During the year a total of 284 aged persons or aged chronic sick persons
in the Borough received help from the Home Help Service, and the Home Nurses dealt
with 545 old people out of a total of 1,109 cases.
These figures compare with 264 aged persons receiving help from the Home
Help Service in 1954, and 483 old persons being visited by the Nurses out of a
total of 1,060 cases.
As has been noted already on page 11, during the year a special provision
for old persons was made at the Public Baths in Chiswick by the provision of
two hip baths.
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