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been living under an assumed name and that, in fact, he
had surviving relatives who would have made the funeral
arrangements. One of them offered to meet the costs but,
as the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance agreed
to make a death grant which covered the Council's
expenses, there was no need to take advantage of the offer.
5. The body of an unidentified man was recovered from the
Thames on 26th November 1957 and funeral arrangements
were made by the Council at the request of the Coroner's
Officer. Expenses, less the sum of 19/4½d. found on the
deceased, were borne by the Council.
6. The burial of a still-born child, whose body was taken from
the Thames on 26th November 1957, was arranged at the
request of the Coroner's Officer, the cost being met by the
Council.
7. After a post-mortem on Mr. W. H. S. who died suddenly
at his lodgings on 27th December 1957, the Council undertook
funeral arrangements at the request of the nearest
relatives who were old age pensioners and of very limited
means. The deceased was not insured in any way and
his personal effects consisted only of items of clothing, in
a very dirty condition, which it was necessary to destroy.
As the relatives, in company with one or two friends, wished
to attend the funeral, however, they agreed to meet the
cost of a limousine. The balance of the costs were partly
discharged by a death grant from the Ministry of Pensions
and National Insurance.
Apart from the abovementioned cases, the bodies of one female
and one male were conveyed to the mortuary after recovery from
the Thames. The former was identified by her husband and the
male person, who was identified as a Danish seaman, was buried at
the expense of his employers, a London shipping company.
PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT 1936, SECTION 122
The Council is authorised to remove and cleanse an individual's
personal effects where it is considered by the Medical Officer of
Health that the condition of such articles is likely to cause the
spread of infectious disease.
During the year visits were made to the homes of 59 old people
who were seriously ill, senile or incontinent. In each case quantities
of soiled bedding and personal clothing were found and it was
considered essential to have, these effects cleansed in the Disinfecting
Station. In the majority of cases it has been necessary to arrange
for the articles to be collected at regular intervals for cleansing and
return to the owners.