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111
11 bodies were brought in by the Police (5 to High
Street and 6 to Wanless Road), and the rest by undertakers
or private persons.
267 Post-mortems were conducted (223 at High Street
and 44 at Wanless Road), as compared with 285, 275, 281
and 253 respectively during the four preceding years,
1899-6.
The Corcners' Court sat 109 times at Wanless Road,
119 times at High Street.
The need for the separate infectious room in connection
with the new Mortuary at Wanless Road was shown by
the fact that during 1900, 3 bodies (1 male and 2 females)
dead of diphtheria, and 2 (1 male and 1 female) dead of
typhoid, and 1 (female) dead from puerperal fever, were
received there.
No provision has been made during the year in regard to
an extra Mortuary for Norwood district, though it is clear
that, considering the rapidity with which Norwood is
growing, such a Mortuary is much wanted. The Vestry on
May 14th, 1896. decided that a Mortuary should be provided
for Norwood, and a site was obtained, and approved,
on Dec. 10th, 1896. Unfortunately, a hitch occurred in the
completion of the purchase, with the result that no further
action was taken. I first reported as to the need for extra
Mortuary accommodation for Norwood on May 4th,
1896.
It will be sufficient for a small Mortuary to be provided,
such building to be able to deal with (a) infectious cases
and (6) other dead bodies. It is not only violent deaths
that necessitate such a building, but the fact that at times
bodies (dead from infectious or other diseases) should be
removed from crowded centres, when awaiting burial.