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
City of London 1920
Report of the Medical Officer of Health of the City of London for the year 1920
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53
CITY MORTUARY.
DISINFECTION—TRADE.—In accordance with the requirements of the South
African Authorities, the disinfection of second-hand clothing prior to export to that
country has been carried out as usual. In July last the charge for this work was
increased from 10s. to £1 per operation. A fee of one guinea was also fixed for the
issue of duDlicate certificates.
he following table gives the details or this work :—
| Number of Certificates issued. | Number of articles disinfected. | Fees received by the Corporation. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,079 | 523,694 | £1,118 19s. | |
| DISINFECTION—INFECTIOUS DISEASES:— | |||
| Articles disinfected after cases of infectious disease | 26,135 | ||
| BODIES RECEIVED-POST-MORTEMS AND INQUESTS | |||
| Bodies received at the Mortuary to await burial | 172 | ||
| Post-mortem examinations made | 80 | ||
| Inquests held on bodies | 158 | ||
| Inquests held on fires | 9 | ||
| CLEANSING OF PERSONS ACT, 1897 | |||
| Number of verminous persons bathed | 21 | ||
NUMBER OF ARTICLES DISINFECTED, BODIES RECEIVED AT THE MORTUARY, AND INQUESTS HELD AT THE CORONER'S COURT IN THE CITY DURING 1920, COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS.
| Year. | Articles of Bedding, &c., disinfected. | Bodies received at the Mortuary | Iuquests held on bodies. | Inquests held on Fires. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | 861,879 | 199 | 176 | 9 |
| 1916 | 438,426 | 169 | 151 | |
| 1917 | 295,144 | 234 | 213 | |
| 1918 | 179,990 | 158 | 130 | 0 |
| 1919 | 207,935 | 170 | 150 | 4 |
| Average for previous five years | 296,674 | 186 | 164 | 3 |
| 1920 | 549,829 | 172 | 158 | 9 |
PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF UNKNOWN DEAD.—The De Rechter
apparatus for the preservation of the dead, installed at the City Mortuary in March,
]909. was fully described in the Annual Report for that year. During the year under
review three bodies were placed in the apparatus.
Dr. F. J. Waldo, J.P., Coroner for London and Southwark, has kindly furnished
me with the following list of places in the City which were the subject of Fire Inquests
held by him during 1920:—
Inquest held on Name of Premises. Date of Fire.
1. 9th February, 1920 28-32, Hutton Street, E.C. 29th January, 1920.
2. 24th February, 1920 159, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. 17th February, 1920.
3. 2nd June, 1920 Dowgate Wharf, Dowgate 21st May, 1920.
4. 23rd Jnne, 1920 4 to 9, Bishopsgate Avenue, E.G. 11th June, 1920.
5. 4th November, 1920 24 and 26, Mitre Street, Aldgate 25th October, 1920.
6. 11th November, 1920 11, Fore Street Avenue 4th November, 1920.
7. Ditto 23, Moor Lane, E.C. Ditto.
8. 17th and 25th Nov., 1920 14, Carthusian Street, E.C. Ditto.
9. 2nd December, 1920 56, Lower Thames Street, E.C. 21st November, 1920.
10. 23rd December, 1920 1 to 6, Printing House Square, E.C. 12th December, 1920.
In addition to the above the City Coroner personally inquired into 178 "nonfatal"
City fires reported to him during the year.
DISINFECTION OF CONVEYANCES AFTER CARRYING CASES OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.—Three electric ambulances, which had been used to convey
patients suffering from infectious diseases to hospital, have been disinfected at the City
Disinfecting Station, Golden Lane, E.C.