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Hospital we are responsible, but in addition a far greater number are
removed from the Hospital to Southwark as a result of deaths in the
Hospital. Other isolated cases of removal to Southwark may take
place arising from police instructions.
Early in the year, the Southwark Borough Council approached
this Council with the proposal that Bermondsey, in company with
Lambeth and Camberwell, should make a contribution towards the
cost of their mortuary premises which include cottage, office, mortuary
and viewing room, doctor's room, post-mortem room, and the Coroner's
Court. The expenditure, apart from the Coroner's Court which is the
London County Council's responsibility, should be borne by the four
authorities on the basis of the total number of bodies accommodated
on behalf of the four boroughs concerned and the expenditure incurred
by Southwark, and it was agreed to contribute year by year our proportion
of the expenditure incurred.
The number of bodies removed to Southwark from Bermondsey
for post-mortem or inquest purposes during the year 1953 was 186,
out of a total of 1,504 accommodated from all the boroughs concerned.
During the year under review, 207 bodies from Bermondsey (66
from private addresses and 141 from hospitals) were accommodated.
WATER SUPPLY
The water for industrial and domestic use for the borough is
supplied by the Metropolitan Water Board. During 1954 the Board
took 1,585 samples for chemical examination and 3,604 for bacteriological
examination. No complaints were received during the year.
The water is derived from the River Thames at intakes at Walton,
Laleham and Staines; stored in the Board's reservoirs at Walton,
Littleton and Staines; and filtered and chlorinated at the Board's works
at Surbiton, Walton and Hampton. The water is pumped into supply
from these works to service reservoirs at Nunhead and Brixton thereby
affording a constant supply of water.
Contact tanks are provided at Walton and Hampton works to
ensure that chlorine completes its action before the water is pumped
into supply; plans for the installation of a similar contact tank at
Surbiton works are in the process of being prepared. Chlorination
treatment is now fully automatic, the dose being adjusted for changes
in quality of the water as well as for changes in rates of flow.
All sections of new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine
before being restored to supply and 99.4 per cent of samples collected
from new and repaired mains from the whole of the Board's area during
1954 were of first class bacteriological quality namely free from Bacterium
coli in 100 ml. volumes.