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 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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52
Coroner's Court and Mortuary.
Details as to the number of inquests held at the Coroner's Court,
and bodies received into the Mortuary, during 1952, are set out in
the following table: —
Battersea Mortuary, 1952.
| Details of Bodies received | Usual place of residence | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battersea | Wandsworth | Elsewhere | Residence unknown | ||
| Post-mortem only | 170 | 316 | 69 | 6 | 561 |
| Post-mortem and inquest | 39 | 78 | 30 | 4 | 151 |
| Total post-mortems | 209 | 394 | 99 | 10 | 712 |
| Inquest only | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Total inquests | 39 | 79 | 30 | 4 | 152 |
| Sanitary and other reasons | – | – | – | 2 | 2 |
| Total bodies received | 209 | 395 | 99 | 12 | 715 |
| VERDICTS AT INQUESTS HELD | |||||
| Natural causes | – | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Accident and misadventure | 25 | 42 | 20 | 1 | 88 |
| Open verdict Suicide | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Suicide | 8 | 29 | 7 | – | 44 |
| Homicide | 2 | 1 | – | – | 3 |
| Alcoholism | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Self-Neglect | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Total | 39 | 79 | 30 | 4 | 152 |
In addition to the above, four inquests were held on non-resident s
and in each case the body was absent, not having been brought in to
the Mortuary.
The Wandsworth Borough Council again made a grant of £250
towards the cost of maintaining the Mortuary.
The London County Council pay a rent for the use of the Coroner's
Court. For a number of years this had been £275 per annum, but
after considerable negotiations they agreed to increase it to £450 per
annum as from 1st April, 1950. Subsequently, in August, 1951, the
London County Council gave notice to terminate their tenancy of th e
Court on 31st March, 1952. This notice was, however, later withdraw
and use of the Court continued throughout the year 1952.