London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hammersmith 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]
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49
CORONER'S COURT AND PUBLIC MORTUARY
The Coroner's Court and Mortuary in Fulham Palace Road provide comprehensive facilities, including a modern post mortem-room with four post-mortem
tables and a battery of 18 refrigerators. The Mortuary is also used, by arrangement,
by the neighbouring boroughs of Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea. Special
facilities have also been provided for those of the Jewish faith.
The number of bodies admitted to the Mortuary during the year was 1,263, an
increase of 29 over 1961. There were 1,252 post-mortem examinations, an increase
of 39 over the previous year.
In all 269 Inquests were held at the Coroner's Court compared with 266 the previous year. Details are set out below :—
| Bodies admitted from the Borough: — | ||
| By order of Coroner | 361 | |
| On application of Undertakers | 2 | |
| 363 | ||
| Bodies admitted from other Boroughs: — | ||
| Fulham (226 by order of Coroner and 4 on application of undertakers) | 230 | |
| Chelsea (252 by order of Coroner and 1 on application by undertaker) | 253 | |
| Kensington (413 by order of Coroner and 4 on application by undertakers) | 417 | |
| 900 | ||
| Total bodies admitted | 1,263 | |
| Of this total 6 were admitted by order of the Police. | ||
| No. of Post-mortem examinations conducted :— | ||
| Hammersmith cases | 361 | |
| Fulham cases | 226 | |
| Chelsea cases | 252 | |
| Kensington cases | 413 | |
| Total Post-mortems | 1,252 | |
| No. of Inauests held:— | ||
| Hammersmith cases | 61 | |
| Fulham cases | 126 | |
| Chelsea cases | 44 | |
| Kensington cases | 38 | |
| Total Inquests held | 269 | |
EXHUMATION AND RE-INTERNMENT OF BODIES
No licences were granted by the Secretary of State for the exhumation and
removal of bodies from graves in the Borough during the year.