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of charge, of the apparatus (if any) which the authority possess for cleansing the person and his clothing
from vermin." The use of such apparatus shall not be considered to be parochial relief. The Act also
empowers local authorities to expend any reasonable sum on buildings, appliances and attendants that
may be required for carrying out the Act.
The Act of 1897 will be regarded with satisfaction by all who appreciate the need for opportunity
being given for maintenance of cleanliness of the person. It may be hoped that similar opportunity
may eventually exist for the poor to cleanse their bedding under similar conditions, and that vermininfested
rooms may be definitely regarded as matter for the intervention of the sanitary authorities.
This subject has already been referred to in connection with the question whether a by-law can be made
under section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act, as proposed by the Kensington Vestry, requiring
that furnished rooms let in lodgings shall be kept free from vermin, and I have already stated that many
sanitary authorities in London have made favourable reply to my inquiry whether they will give
opportunity to the keepers of common lodging-houses to thus cleanse their bedding.
With a view to promoting the health of children and educating them in personal cleanliness,
some continental countries are providing in their elementary schools bathing rooms in which children
can periodically bathe. In schools which I have visited in Christiania, Copenhagen and Berlin, I was
informed that this provision is much appreciated both by parents and pupils. This branch of education
is not the least valuable which a school authority can undertake, and certainly the habit of personal
cleanliness cannot be acquired too early in life.
The action taken by sanitary authorities under the Cleansing of Persons Act is shown in several
of the reports of the medical officers of health. In Kensington the vestry entered into an arrangement
with the guardians whereby the apparatus, &c., at the able-bodied workhouse, Mary-place,
Potteries, was made available on payment of a small fee by the vestry. Three persons and their clothing
have been cleansed under this arrangement. In Westminster the vestry resolved that the proper officers
give effect to the provisions of this Act in the event of any application being made. In Marylebone the
vestry, as a tentative measure, has provided a special bath in a building in the front garden of the shelter,
which in the case of any application may be used for this purpose. In 25 days 148 persons attended
to cleanse themselves and have their clothes disinfected. In St. Giles, one person attended for the
cleansing of his person and clothes. The Strand District Board agreed to give effect to the Act as far
as the present accommodation would permit. The medical officer of health of Holborn suggests that a
bath should be provided for the purpose at the shelter. The medical officer of health of St. Georgein-the-East
writes that owing to the nature of the agreement with the authorities of the London
Hospital for the use of their disinfector, the parish is unable at present to take advantage of the Act.
In St. Olave, the medical officer of health writes that " a bath might easily be provided for this purpose
in one of the three cottages forming the Board's shelter and clothes disinfected in the steam apparatus."
The Vestry of Bermondsey took no action as the St. Olave Board of Guardians already had the
necessary apparatus.
Mortuaries.
The majority of the annual reports of medical officers of health contain some mention of the
extent to which mortuaries are used for the reception of dead bodies pending burial. There are still
some districts where further accommodation needs to be provided.
In Paddington, a scheme for a new mortuary is before the vestry, and the medical officer of
health hopes that a mortuary chapel, distinct from buildings set apart for inquests, may also be erected.
In the Kensington mortuary 290 bodies were deposited during the year, 7 at the request of
relatives, 37 by undertakers, 212 by order of the coroner, 22 were brought in by the police, and 12 were
received on account of death due to infectious disease. The Hammersmith Vestry decided during the
year to erect a proper mortuary, and by the middle of 1897 the plans were approved, a tender accepted,
and the building was in the course of erection. At the old mortuary were deposited five bodies of
persons who had died from infectious diseases, and five bodies of persons for whom no proper
accommodation could be found ; there were also 145 bodies brought to the mortuary by order of the
coroner or by the police. In Fulham there were 158 bodies removed to the mortuary, two of which
were of persons dying from infectious disease. In Chelsea, 16 bodies were removed to the public
mortuary " for sanitary reasons." In St. George, Hanover-square, 290 bodies were received into the
mortuary, 23 because there was insufficient accommodation for them at home, and 107 were sent
from St. George's Hospital, during the re-building of the post-mortem room in that institution.
The number of bodies removed to the Westminster mortuary was 140, of which 21 were to
await burial. In St. James, Westminster, 29 bodies were received into the mortuary. The Marylebone
report gives a tabular statement of the number of bodies removed during each month of the year,
making a total of 523, of which 13 were bodies of persons dying from infectious disease. The medical
officer of health of Hampstead writes that he regrets more use is not made of the mortuary as a place
of deposit for bodies, especially of those who have died from infectious disease, he says, "the mortuary
at New-end comprises two chambers, one for infectious and one for non-infectious bodies, both with
separate entrances, as well as a well-appointed room for carrying out post-mortem examinations of
bodies." The total number of bodies admitted was 72, a larger number than during any previous year.
In St. Pancras 499 bodies were deposited in the general mortuary, 26 in that for infectious diseases.
In the Islington mortuary 708 bodies were received during the year. In Stoke Newington 33 bodies
were deposited in the public mortuary. In Hackney there were 382 bodies deposited in the mortuary,
26 to await burial. In St. Giles 77 bodies were deposited in the mortuary, of these 12 were bodies
of non-parishioners ; 4 bodies of persons dying from infectious disease were deposited in the special
chamber set apart for this purpose. In the Strand district there are two mortuaries into which 74 bodies
were received during the year, only one of which was that of a person who had died from an infectious
disease. In Holborn 145 bodies were brought into the mortuary during the year. The Clerkenwell report
states that 226 bodies were brought during the year to the mortuary, 56 being received from the Holborn