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MURDER.
Three verdicts of wilful murder and one of manslaughter were returned
by Coroner's juries: these were (1) a new-born child strangled
at birth ; (2) another found in Duckett's canal, also strangled; (3) a
child aged 21 months, who died in the Mildmay Hospital from
collapse following injuries to perineum and contusions about head
and body; this child did not belong to Bethnal Green, but had been
removed at the instance of the police from Spitalfields.
A verdict of manslaughter was returned against the mother of a
child, which died from pneumonia accelerated by neglect, but the
jury at the Central Criminal Court declined to endorse the verdict of
the Coroner's jury, and acquitted the prisoner.
UNCERTIFIED DEATHS.
Three deaths were registered without medical certificates, all were
referred to the Coroner, but he did not consider inquests necessary; the
causes of death were entered as gastro-intestinal catarrh (hand fed)
male, three months; convulsions, male, six hours; atelectasis and
premature birth, male, newly born.
WORKSHOPS.
Section 132 of the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901, requires
that " The Medical Officer of Health of every District Council shall,
in his annual report to them, report specifically on the administration
of this Act in workshops and work places, and shall send a copy
of his annual report, or so much of it as deals with this subject, to
the Secretary of State."
During the past year considerable attention has been devoted to
the workshops in the Borough. The district inspectors have visited
and reported upon such of the domestic workshops as have been
brought under their notice in the ordinary course of their duties, but
Inspector Bare has had special charge of the workshops where women
and young persons are employed.
During the past year, 178 of these workshops were inspected,
measured up and placed upon the register, and 161 notices were