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34
patient to the fever hospital. In accordance with the cabman's
request the cab was disinfected, and a certificate given free of
expense. A large quantity of disinfectants has been given
away to the poor during the year, but not to so great an extent
as in former years, 1739 packets having been distributed against
2,948 in 1886, and 288 bottles (small size) of carbolic aoid.
Eleven pads of stinking fish, chiefly of plaice, were destroyed
as being unfit for human food. All of these were brought here
by the purchasers and certificates given, to enable them
to get their money back from the fish salesmen.
Mortuary.—The total number of bodies removed to the
mortuary during the year was 76, against the same number in
1886, and 69 in 1885. Inquestswereheldin a very large proportion
of these cases, as most of the deaths were caused by suicide or
accident. Twenty-three bodies were found in the river Lee,
and the verdict in four was that of suicide. There were also
three suicides on the railway or in a railway carriage, and seven
dead bodies were removed because they were kept in the same
room with the living. One body was brought to the mortuary
when the death was caused by an infectious disease. This
body was put into the air-tight receptacle, the coffin having
been previously screwed down, and filled up with sawdust and
carbolic powder. I have not had any complaint during the
year as to the conditions of the mortuary, and whenever I
visited it I found it clean, free from smell, and in good order.
There are still many formalities to be gone through, including
obtaining the sanction of the Enclosure Commissioners;
advertising the exchange of ground with the Revd. Arthur
Brooke'; and a lapse of three months after the advertisements
have appeared before legal possession of the ground for the
new mortuary can be obtained.
Hirer Lee.—The water of the river was in fairly good condition
up to the end of April, no complaints having been
received, and the weekly samples of water were fairly clear
for a navigable river, and without smell. The amount of free