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44
Mortuary.
The number of bodies brought to the mortuary during the
year was 189. A register of them is kept, which has to be
signed, stating the name and address of the person depositing
same; also that of the undertaker, before the body is allowed
to be removed. In 177 of the cases inquests were held, and
in 13 cases post-mortem examinations were made. There is
every facility for properly conducting these operations, and
the provision of the necessary instruments has, I believe, given
satisfaction to the medical men in the district.
There has been only one body deposited in the separate part
of the mortuary, set aside for infectious diseases, during the
past twelve months.
Legislation during the Year.
The Acts of Parliament which have been passed during the
past year that are of interest to sanitarians are:—The Metropolis
Water Act, the Cleansing of Persons Act, and the Infant
Life Protection Act.
The Metropolis Water Act, 1897, makes important amendments
in the laws respecting the metropolitan water companies,
and affects both the water companies and water consumers in
London, and amongst others the East London Water Company.
One of the most important sections is section 2, which
enables a local authority to aid any water consumer in obtaining
the determination of any question which appears to them
to be of interest to water consumers within their district, with
respect to the rights, duties, and liabilities of any water company
under the Act, in reference to the quantity or quality of
water supplied, or the charges made by them. Jurisdiction is
conferred by the Act upon the Railway and Canal Commission
to hear and determine complaints which may be made by water
consumers or by local authorities, with respect to defaults of
the water company. If this Act had been passed a few years
ago, I fear the Commission would have been fully occupied
during the late drought.