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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The means of light and ventilation are adequate; the walls are lined with glazed bricks, and the
floors are of impervious material.
A small mortuary with a post-mortem room is also provided in the parish of Tooting.
Wandsworth sub-district.—The mortuary is situated in Red Lion-street. It is an unsuitable
building, containing two rooms which communicate. One of these serves as a mortuary chamber,
the other as a post-mortem room. These rooms arc not well-fitted up for the purpose of a mortuary.
An iron tank is provided for bodies recovered from the river, or in an advanced state of decomposition.
A viewing window has recently been inserted in the wall dividing the two chambers, for the use of
coroner's juries, and the question of providing a new mortuary is under consideration.
Putney sub-district.—For this parish a mortuary has been provided in the cemetery at
Putney Lower-common. The building contains three rooms. Two of these are approached from
a common lobby, one being a mortuary chamber, the other a post-mortem room. The latter is
separated from the lobby by a door. The third room, approached from the open air by a separate
doorway, is reserved for the use of bodies of persons who have died from an infectious complaint. In
the first-mentioned mortuary chamber an iron tank is placed for bodies recovered from the river or in
an advanced state of decomposition.
Clapham sub-district.—A spccial building was erected by the local authority in 1880 in St. Paulschurchyard.
On entering the building there is a small lobby with a room on either side; one of these
is a mortuary chamber, the other, separated from the lobby by a door, the post-mortem room. At one
end of the building, and approached by a separate door from the external air, is a separate chamber for
the bodies of persons who have died from infectious complaints.
The floors are of impervious material; the walls are whitewashed.
Light and ventilation are provided by side windows, gratings, and openings in the roof.
Camberwell.—The mortuary provided for the district is situated in the churchyard at the rear of
St. George's church, in the north-western part of the district of Camberwell. A coroner's court has
recently been built in connection with it.
The building comprises two mortuary chambers, a post-mortem room and a waiting-room. The
two mortuary chambers are similar, one of them is reserved for bodies of persons who have died from
infectious disease, the other is for bodies awaiting interment or a coroner's inquest. Each chamber
is fitted up with slabs on which the coffins rest. There is no viewing window. The walls on the inside
are partly lined with tiles, the floors are of impervious material and ventilation is effected by louvres in
the roof. The post-mortem room is fitted with suitable table, sink and slate slab, and loose basins are
provided. Means arc also provided for obtaining hot water.
Greenwich.—The sanitary authority for the Greenwich district have not yet provided a mortuary,
but the District Board of works at date of inquiry was in negotiation with the London County
Council with a view to acquiring a site for the erection of a building for this purpose. There
are in the district, however, mortuaries available for use as follows—
(1) A mortuary in the disused churchyard of St. Alphege, Greenwich, provided by the
vestry.
(2) A mortuary in the disused churchyard of St. Paul, Deptford, erected by the burial
board.
(3) A mortuary in the disused churchyard of St. Nicholas, under the vestry.
Lewisham.—A mortuary and a coroner's court are now being erected at Lady well.
There is a small mortuary at the stoneyard of the sanitary authority, in the hamlet of Penge.
Woolwich.—The existing mortuary is quite inadequate and unsuitable. It consists of a single
room, with a slab on which post-mortem examinations can be made.
Plans, it is stated, have been prepared for the erection of proper mortuary accommodation on
a site which has been obtained for this purpose in Sun-street, Woolwich.
Lee.—The sanitary authority for the district of Lee have not erected a mortuary building for
the use of the district.
In the parish of Charlton there is a mortuary building, belonging to the burial board, and
situated at Charlton cemetery.
There is also a mortuary available for the use of the parish of Lee, at the cemetery at Hither-
green.
In the Eltham portion of the district there is no mortuary building of any description.
Plumstead.—There is a small mortuary in the churchyard of St. Nicholas, at the eastern end of
the district, which is available for use. The vestry propose to erect a new mortuary on land at
Plumstead-marshes.
It is partly underground, and contains but a single room, with a stone slab on which post-mortem
examinations are made. This room has also to serve the purpose of a mortuary chamber. It is
unsuitable for the purpose
The districts mentioned in Schedule C of the Metropolis Local Management Act.
St. Peter.—No mortuary is provided, but in case of need the district has the use of the mortuary
at Westminster.
Gray's Inn.— There is no mortuary accommodation. It is stated that if need arose for use of a
mortuary, that provided for the Holborn District by the Board of Works would be available.
Lincoln's Inn.—The mortuary of the St. Giles board of works is available in case of need.
Inner Temple.—By arrangement with the City, the mortuary provided for that district is available
for use.
Middle Temple.—Arrangement has been made with the sanitary authority of the City for the
use of their mortuary in case of need.
Liberty of the Charterhouse, Furniral's Inn, Staples Inn.—If need for the use of a mortuary arose,
arrangement would be made with the Vestry of Clerkenwell.
C. W. F. Young,
Assistant Medical Officer.