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
Southwark 1905
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]
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58
Beception House whilst their rooms are being disinfected after Infectious
Disease, getting vermin upon their person during their residence.
This cleansing of persons and rooms is a very important duty that
the Local Authority has to perform, and I would advise a house being
taken until a proper building can be put up.
("Signed) G. B. MILLSON,
Medical Officer of Health.
(Since this report was written the Council have decided to fit up a
Bath Boom adjoining the Beception House which will remove the danger
referred to in the report.)
TABLE 36
MORTUARIES.
During the year 555 bodies were received into the Mortuaries
| Reasons bodies were brought to Mortuary. | Collier's Rents Mortuary. | Manor Place Mortuary. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodies brought in upon which Inquests were held | 276 | 174 | 450 |
| Bodies brought in for convenience ... | 80 | 11 | 91 |
| Bodies brought in in cases where death had occurred from Infectious Diseases | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| Total ... | 362 | 193 | 555 |
The Detention of Offensive Bodies in the Public Mortuaries,
The following Beport was submitted to the Public Health
Committee:—
"I have to report that, especially during the summer months, bodies
in an advanced stage of decomposition are retained in the public mortuaries
owing to the inability of friends to bury them sufficiently early.