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

St Pancras 1934

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]

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Table: The following table gives particulars concerning the number of inquests held, number of bodies received and post.mortem examinations made during each of the past six years:—

The following table gives particulars concerning the number of inquests held, number of bodies received and post.mortem examinations made during each of the past six years:—

1929.1930.1931.1932.1933.1934.
Number of inquests held:—
St. Pancras cases158155101121151128
Ex-St. Pancras cases97118260443422438
Number of bodies received:—
St. Pancras cases250218222242306288
Ex-St. Pancras cases2663374571510525
Number of post-mortem examinations made:—
St. Pancras cases190173175206286277
Ex.St. Pancras cases1634229415446492
Totals7377611361199821212148

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During the year attention was drawn to effluvia arising at the Mortuary in hot
weather. This had become more noticable since the increase in the number of bodies sent to
the St. Pancras Mortuary. The chief need is the installation of refrigerating plant, but this
question is bound up with the larger one of providing increased accommodation, which would
involve considerable capital outlay, and which, as indicated above, is still under consideration.
Meanwhile authority was given for periodical deliveries of ice during the hot weather, and
this resulted in a mitigation of the nuisance.
In December a communication was received from the County Medical Officer of
Health, intimating that work 011 a new mortuary for the use of the St. Pancras Hospital had
commenced. When this new building is available the existing arrangement, under which the
Hospital has the use of the Borough Council's mortuary, will 110 longer be necessary.
SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE AREA.
Inspections.—62,156 visits and inspections were made in 1934 by the Council's staff of
Inspectors.
Of these inspections, 45,324 were made by the District Sanitary Inspectors, 9,163 by
the Inspectors of Food and Foorl places, and 7,669 by the Inspectors of Factories and
Workshops.
The visits of Miss Camman and Miss Holland are not included in this total as in
previous years, for the reason that the duties of these officers are in connection with the
Tuberculosis Dispensary. Their visits are gi\en under that heading elsewhere.
Notices served.—3,757 intimation notices were served by the Inspectors during the
year. Of these 3,397 were served by the District Sanitary Inspectors, 357 by the Factory
and Workshop Inspectors, and three by the Food Inspectors.
1,377 Statutory notices were served for non.compliance with certain of the above
intimation notices. I11 October it was decided to discontinue the practice of sending a
warning letter after the issue of a Statutory Notice. For six months from the date of this
decision a notice of the intention to discontinue accompanied each Statutory Notice issued.
Details of tiie work performed by the various Inspectors will be found in the following
tables.