London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1898

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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5
for persons during the disinfection of their rooms. It is stated, however, that the land available for the
purpose has not yet been obtained, though the Board have, for some considerable time, been negotiating
with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, with a view to obtaining land belonging to this body for the
purpose.
The present mortuary consists of part of a railway-arch, in which wooden catacombs have been
placed for keeping bodies. A post-mortem table has also been provided.
St.George-the-Martyr.—The mortuary is situated in the churchyard of St. George-the-Martyr. It
contains three rooms, well-lighted and ventilated, and having concrete floors. The walls are not tiled.
One room is used as a mortuary chamber for bodies awaiting interment or a coroner's inquest. There
is no window through which bodies can be viewed. Another room, separated from the above by a
sliding door, is fitted up as a post-mortem room, with a sink, washing basin, operating table, and
means for obtaining hot water. The third room, smaller than the others, is reserved for bodies of
persons who have died from some infectious complaint.
Newington. —A mortuary has been provided near the vestry's depot in Manor-place, in connection
with the coroner's court. It contains two mortuary chambers, one on either side of a viewing lobby,
from which the interior of both chambers can be seen. Each chamber is approached by a separate door
from the external air. A post-mortem room fitted with table, sink, fixed wash-basin and moans of heating
and of obtaining hot water is also provided.
The lighting and ventilation of each room is good, and the floors are oi impervious material.
St. Olave.—A mortuary building has been provided by the board. The building has on two
sides a small amount of open space, and contains two rooms having separate entrances from this space.
There is also a doorway between the two rooms. One of the rooms is used as a mortuary chamber, the
other is fitted for use as a post-mortem room with a post-mortem table, hand-basin and fire-place.
There is no separate mortuary chamber for the bodies of persons dying from infectious complaints, nor
a microscope room.
Bermondsey.—A mortuary building has been erected in the vestry's depot at the rear of the
vestry hall in Spa-road. It contains three rooms. Two of these situated, one on either side of a median
passage with viewing windows into each room, are used as mortuary chambers, the one, for bodies
awaiting interment or a coroner's inquest, the other, for bodies of persons who have died from an
infectious complaint. Each is entered from the outer air. The third room is entered from the passage
referred to above, and is suitably fitted up with sink, table, slate-slab and means for obtaining hot
water, as the post-mortem room. This room communicates with the first mentioned mortuary chamber.
Adjoining it is a small lavatory with lavatory basin and water-closet.
The means of light and ventilation are good; the floors are of impervious material and the walls
are lined with glazed brickwork.
Rotherhithe.—A mortuary has recently been erected in the disused churchyard of St. Mary, on
the site of the old mortuary building. It is well arranged and contains two separate mortuary chambers
and a post-mortem room, each being approached by separate entrances from the open air. There is a
microscope room attached to the post-mortem room, and a room in which shells can be stored. A viewing
lobby has been provided between the two mortuary chambers whence bodies can bo viewed through
windows furnished for this purpose.
The lighting and ventilation are good, the floors arc of impervious material, and the walls are
lined with glazed brickwork.
Lambeth.—The vestry have provided two mortuaries in connection with coroner's courts, for the
use of the district. One of these is situated in a disused burial-ground off High-street, Lambeth, at the
northern part of the parish, the other is in a central situation at Wanless-road, Loughborough-junction.
The former contains a mortuary chamber and a post-mortem room, which communicate with
each other by a doorway. The interior of the walls is lined with tiles, the floor is made of impervious
material, and means of fight and ventilation are adequately provided. The post-mortem room is
furnished with a suitable table, wash-basins, and means for obtaining hot water. There is a tank-shell
for bodies recovered from the river. There is no viewing window to the mortuary chamber There is
no separate mortuary chamber for bodies of persons dying of infectious complaint.
The second mortuary is a recently-erected one, and contains a mortuary chamber for bodies
awaiting interment, or a coroner's inquest; a separate chamber, approached from the external air, for
bodies of persons dying of infectious complaints, and a post-mortem room, suitably fitted with postmortem
table, sink, and slab, and means of obtaining hot water. Each mortuary chamber has a viewing
window. The walls in each room are lined with glazed bricks, the floors are made of impervious
material, and means of ventilation and light are well provided. All infectious cases in the district,
which require removal to a mortuary, are brought here.
Battersea.—A mortuary has been provided in the churchyard of St. Mary, near to the river
Thames.
It contains a mortuary chamber fitted with slate slabs, and a post-mortem room. These are
both approached from a common lobby. There is no viewing window to the mortuary chamber. There
is another small room in this building entered from the open air, which is used for storing the
ambulance.
The building was at time of visit undergoing repair and cleansing.
It is proposed to erect a new mortuary in a more central position in the district.
Wandsworth—Streatham and Tooting sub-district.—At the rear of the parish offices in Streatham
there is a mortuary having separate chambers for bodies of persons (a) dying from infectious disease;
(b) awaiting interment or an inquest. There is also a well-fitted post-mortem room and lavatory
accommodation. In this room there is a window for viewing bodies in the first-mentioned mortuary
chamber. Each room can be entered from the outer air, but the post-mortem room and the mortuary
chamber for bodies awaiting an inquest communicate with each other. There is no viewing window
to the latter.