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GENERAL MATTERS
BURIALS Under Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, it is the duty
of the Council to arrange the burial of any person who has died in the district,
where it appears that there are no suitable arrangements for the disposal of the
body During 1962 one burial was arranged in accordance with this section.
PUBLIC MORTUARY. The public mortuary situated in the grounds of Holy Trinity
Church, has been demolished. The premises were cut-of-date and unsuitable for postmortem
examination or the retention of a body for other than a very short time By
arrangement with the Coroner, bodies are taken direct to Acton or Hampton Mortuaries
The Council pays a charge made for the use of these mortuaries.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF STAFF For superannuation or other purposes 134 members
of the Council's staff were referred to the Health Department for medical examination.
HFALTH EDUCATION Posters issued by the Central Council for Health Education
continued to be displayed on the boards formerly used by the Empire Marketing Board
During the year, the Medical officer of Health gave talks to several organisations
in the Borough on various aspects of the health services The Chief Public Health
Inspector engaged in similar activities particularly in those parts of the Borough
affected by Smoke Control Orders. The staff are fully aware of the opportunities
given by their contact with the people for drawing attention to matters bearing on
health and hygiene. Other Departments have co-operated by displaying health educational
material
PERSONS IN NEED OF CARE AND ATTENTION Section 47 of the National Assistance
Act, 1948, places the responsibility on the Council of taking action to secure 'the
necessary care and attention for persons who:-
(a) are suffering from grave chronic disease or, being aged, infirm
(b) are unable to devote to themselves, and are not receiving from
other persons, proper care and attention".
Despite the growing interest of statutory and voluntary agencies in the welfare
of the aged, cases come to the notice of the Department of neglected aged persons
living in insanitary conditions. Such persons are usually most reluctant to accept
assistance or to go to hospital or institution, but fortunately, in most cases,
peaceful persuasion secures their co-operation in some degree and the necessary
action can be taken in no case was it necessary to seek authority to apply for
an Order for compulsory removal to hospital or institution
LAUNDRY SERVICE. One of the problems in the care of aged and sick persons in
their own homes is soiled clothing and bed linen. Where washing facilities are poor
and the persons concerned neither have nor can afford assistance, the cleansing of
clothing and bedding presents serious difficulty. In some cases, action under Section
84 of the Public Health Act, 1936, is the only solution and the Council has made
arrangements with a laundry firm for the cleansing of articles where the Medical
Officer of Health has issued the certificates required by the Act. The number of
cases participating in this service is increasing.
BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE Sessions for the collection of blood from donors
were held as under:-
or physically incapacitated, are living in insanitary conditions,
and
Hounslow
Isleworth
14th, 15th and 16th April
27th May
1st, 2nd and 3rd September
21st October
8th February
15th July
25th November
27