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Hampstead.—A mortuary was erected at New-end in 1891. It is a suitably-designed building
with a good approach. The building contains two mortuary chambers, one of these being for the bodies
of persons who have died from infectious complaints, a post-mortem room, a waiting room and lavatory
accommodation. The post-mortem room and the chamber for non-infectious bodies communicate by
means of a doorway. The other mortuary chamber is provided with a window, through which bodies
can be viewed from outside the building.
The inside of the walls in each room arc lined with tiles, and the floors are of impervious
material. The means of light and ventilation are good.
St. Pancras.—The mortuary building, provided in connection with a coroner's court on ground
near the Vestry-hall, contains two mortuary chambers, both approached from the external air, and a
post-mortem room, which is suitably fitted up, and has a small room for microscopical examination
and a lavatory attached to it. One mortuary chamber, namely, that used for the bodies of persons
dying from an infectious complaint, has a viewing window.
Islington.—The mortuary is a plain brick building at the rear of the coroner's court in the churchyard
of St. Mary Magdalene, and contains a series of rooms, each approached from the external air.
The first of these is used as mortuary chamber for bodies upon which an inquest is to be held. A
viewing window is to be provided. Next to and communicating with it is a room used for post-mortem
examinations. Both these have impervious flooring, and walls lined with tiles for some four feet above
ground level, and the post-mortem room is provided with a table, a sink and hand-basin, and means
for obtaining hot water. The third room is used for bodies awaiting interment, it has a wood floor, the
walls are not tiled, and contains a fireplace. The last room is for the bodies of persons who have died
from an infectious complaint, the floor is made of impervious material, the walls are not tiled.
Stoke Newington.—A mortuary has been provided by the sanitary authority in the disused
churchyard of the parish church.
It is a suitably designed building containing two rooms, each of which is entered by a separate
door. One room is reserved for use as a mortuary chamber, the other as a post-mortem room, and is
properly fitted up for making examinations.
There is no separate mortuary chamber for the bodies of persons dying of infectious disease, but
a tank shell is provided having a cover fitting into a water seal, which can be used for this purpose or
for bodies in an advanced state of decomposition.
Hackney.—A mortuary in conjunction with a coroner's court has been erected on ground adjoining
the parish church.
At the entrance to the yard from which the mortuary is approached there is a caretaker's
residence.
The mortuary contains three rooms, each well lighted and ventilated. The walls are tiled for
half their height and the floors are concreted. One room is used as a mortuary chamber for cases of noninfectious
disease or awaiting a coroner's inquest, one for the bodies of persons who have died from
some infectious complaint, and the third as a post-mortem room. There is also a store room.
St. Giles.—The board of works have provided a mortuary in Goldsmith-street in conjunction
with the coroner's court. It contains two mortuary chambers, one of these for the bodies of persons
dying from infectious complaints, and a post-mortem room. Each of these rooms has a separate
entrance from a common lobby. The two mortuary chambers and the post-mortem room are situated on
the first floor of the building, there being a lift for taking bodies up. The ground floor is for the use of
the caretaker and also contains waiting rooms and lavatory. One of the waiting rooms also serves as
a shelter for the use of persons during the disinfection of their rooms.
St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.—A mortuary has been provided in the vaults underneath the open
space at the side of St. Martin's Church. It contains two rooms, one suitably fitted up as a post-mortem
room, the other as a mortuary chamber, and an ante-room, one part of which is used as a store for empty
shells. There is no separate chamber for the bodies of persons dead from infectious disease, and no special
provision is made for a microscope room, waiting room, or viewing window.
Strand.—The mortuary building is situated in Denzil-street. In a very confined area, the
following provision has ingeniously been made—(a) mortuary chamber on the ground floor for coroner's
cases and bodies awaiting interment; (b) mortuary chamber on the first floor for the bodies of persons
dying of infectious complaints; (c) a post-mortem room on the top floor, fitted with a suitable table, a
wash basin and a water-heating apparatus. There is no sink, nor a microscope room. The walls of the
mortuary chambers are lined with glazed tiles.
Holborn.—The sanitary authority have provided an ill-designed building, in a confined situation,
in the yard at the rear of the town-hall. It contains three rooms, communicating with each other by
doorways. The smallest of these is the mortuary chamber, for bodies of persons dying of infectious
diseases. It also serves as the viewing lobby to the next room, viz : the mortuary chamber for bodies
of persons awaiting interment or a coroner's inquest, a window having been placed in the door which
separates the two chambers. The third room is fitted up as a post-mortem room. The approach to the
ordinary mortuary chamber is either through the post-mortem room, or through the mortuary chamber
for the bodies of infectious cases.
Clerkenwrell.—Mortuary accommodation has been provided in connection with the coroner's court.
The building contains a mortuary chamber for bodies awaiting interment or a coroner's inquest, a
mortuary chamber for the bodies of persons dying from infectious complaints, and a post-mortem room
suitably fitted up.
St. Luke.—A mortuary in connection with the coroner's court has been provided at Warwickplace,
Whitecross-street. It contains—
(a) A mortuary chamber for bodies awaiting interment, or a coroner's inquest.
(b) A mortuary chamber for bodies of persons dying of infectious complaints.
(c) A post-mortem room.
Up to a recent date there was but one mortuary chamber, the second room has been provided by