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police, and eight by the request of friends. Although this last number
is higher than in any previous year, it is to be regretted that so little
use is still made of the mortuary as a place of deposit for bodies
especially of those who have died from infectious disease. By Sec. 89
of the Public Health (London) Act, a Justice's Order may be obtained
by medical men if people sleep in a room where an infectious body is
retained. 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, whether ordered by the coroner or otherwise.
The subject of the disposal of the dead by cremation was brought
before your Vestry by a circular letter received from the Yestry of
Islington, stating that they had under consideration the advisability of
providing a crematorium in connection with their cemetery at Finchley,
and that they were proposing to apply to the Home Secretary to promote
legislation for extending the Burials Acts, so as to enable any
Local Authority to construct and use a crematorium for the disposal of
the dead. On the recommendation of the Sub-Committees of the Public
Health Committee and Burials Committee appointed to consider the
subject, your Yestry resolved to support the application of the Vestry of
Islington. There is good reason for thinking that the interests of
public health would be furthered by the more general use of the
crematorium, especially in the case of bodies dead of infectious disease,
in preference to burial in soils unfitted for the purpose.
Cowsheds and Slaughter-houses.—The annual inspection of these
premises by the Public Health Committee took place on October 4th,
when they were mostly found to be in good order, so that it was not
necessary to make any objection to the renewal of the several licences.
In 1880 the number of cowsheds regularly inspected was 15, and
the number of cows licensed between two and three hundred; now there
remains but one cowshed in the parish, and that is licensed for 50 cows.
The licensed slaughter-houses remain the same as last year, namely
seven.