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
City of London 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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The following tabulation shows the work carried out at the Mortuary and Coroner's Court during the past five years:—
| Year. | Articles disinfected. | Bodies received at the Mortuary. | Inquests held on bodies. | Inquests held on Fires. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 305,970 | 155 | 139 | 4 |
| 1927 | 227,037 | 178 | 169 | 1 |
| 1928 | 180,530 | 159 | 147 | 2 |
| 1929 | 515,375 | 176 | 165 | 2 |
| 1930 | 203,909 | 145 | 135 | 1 |
| Average for previous 5 years | 286,564 | 162 | 151 | 2 |
| 1931 | 155,324 | 133 | 127 | 1 |
Disinfection.—Trade.—In accordance with the requirements of the South African
Government, the disinfection of second-hand clothing, prior to export to that country, has
been carried on as usual.
The following table gives the details of the work of disinfection carried out at the Disinfecting Station during the vear in connection with the export trade:—
| Number of Certificates issued. | Number of articles disinfected. | Fees received by the Corporation. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 425 | 149,222 | £261 | |
| Articles disinfected after cases of infectious disease | 5,623 | ||
| Library Books disinfected | 42 | ||
| Public Vehicles—Electric Ambulance | 1 | ||
| Cells at Police Stations | 3 | ||
| Premises disinfected (including offices) | 343 | ||
| Lockers disinfected at request of General Post Office Authorities. | 89 | ||
| Horsehair (case) | 1 | ||
| Number of verminous persons bathed | 116 | ||
| Total number of children cleansed | 1,029 | ||
631 articles of clothing, 12 books and 5 cwts. of cloth cuttings were destroyed at request of
owners.
In addition to the foregoing, some assistance was rendered to the Metropolitan Borough of
Finsbury during a period when the disinfection apparatus operated by that authority was out of use.
Preservation of Bodies of Unknown Dead.—The De Rechter apparatus for the preservation
of the dead, installed at the City Mortuary, in March, 1909, was fully described in the
Annual Report of that year. It has proved of considerable assistance in connection with
the identification of persons found drowned in the River Thames. During 1931 one body
was placed in the apparatus.
Fire Inquests.—Dr. F. J. Waldo, J.P., Coroner for the Citj' of London and Southwark,
has kindly furnished me with the following list of places in the City which were the subject
of Fire Inquests held by him during 1931:—
INQUESTS HELD UNDER THE CITY OF LONDON FIRE INQUESTS ACT, 1888.
Date of Inquest. Premises Burnt.
24th March, 1931 1a, Red Bull Wharf Yard.
In addition to the above, the City Coroner personally inquired into 130 " non-fatal "
City fires reported to him during the year.
DISINFECTANTS.
The disinfectants and other chemicals in use in the Public Health Department and in
other branches of the Corporation's service, have, as in the past, been supplied under a contract
prepared by your Medical Officer of Health.
They are used for deodorising and denaturising unsound meat, disinfecting public
conveniences, street gulleys, premises after infectious diseases, etc.
Special attention was given to the thoroughfares in the vicinity of the Billingsgate and
Smithfield Markets, the former of which presents certain difficulties in the matter of deodorisation
in the summer months.
Very few complaints were, however, received of offensive odours necessarily associated
with the fish trade.
In the interests of economy the practice of using a disinfectant fluid in conjunction with
general street watering has been discontinued.