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
Battersea 1902
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1902
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TABLE XXII.
| 1896. | 1897. | 1898. | 1899. | 1900. | 1901. | 1902. | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 29 |
| Monday | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 18 |
| Tuesday | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Wednesday | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | – | 16 |
| Thursday | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| Friday | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Saturday | – | 3 | – | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Total | 20 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 9 | 117 |
Mortuary.
The new Public Mortuary in Sheepcote Lane was opened
for use on the 5th April, 1902. The Mortuary has been long
needed, the old building having proved quite inadequate for
the purpose for which it was intended. The appended plan
shows the arrangement and dimensions of the rooms. The
bodies are received in catacombs roofed with charcoal, and
tanks, specially constructed and ventilated, are provided for
the reception of decomposed bodies. There is a special
chamber for the bodies of patients dying from infectious
disease. A marble slab runs along the whole length of the
western side of the post-mortem room, which also contains
two fixed white glazed earthenware post-mortem tables, and
one movable slate table. The walls of the rooms are lined with
opalite, and the floors are constructed of terrazzo.
The following table shows the number of admissions to the
Mortuary, the number of post-mortem examinations made, and
the number of Coroner's inquests held during 1902, and in the
fourteen preceding years :—