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SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE BOROUGH
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proprietary insecticides being used. Infested bedding is removed to
the Disinfecting Station and treated by steam.
During the year 175 houses were found to be infested with bed
bugs and disinfestation was carried out in all cases.
Special steps are taken to ensure that the furniture and clothing
of families about to be accommodated in the Council's houses or
flats are freed from vermin. Hydrogen cyanide gas is used for the
disinfestation of the furniture, which is placed in special vans
constructed for the purpose, the process being carried out by a
contractor. Bedding is not subjected to hydrogen cyanide but is
disinfested by steam at the Council's Disinfecting Station.
Mortuary and Crematorium
Owing to a period of sickness and to the subsequent death of
the mortuary keeper, the mortuary was used for the reception of
bodies for approximately 4-5 months only during 1956. Eighty-seven
bodies were received during this period.
It is the current policy for bodies upon which post-mortem examination
for forensic purposes is required, to be concentrated at fewer
public mortuaries in the London area than was previously the case
and also for more post-mortems undertaken at the Coroner's direction
to be carried out in hospital mortuaries if the person died in
hospital. Following this policy, a much larger number of bodies
from the Wandsworth area was sent to the Battersea Mortuary, quite
apart from the fact that for a substantial part of the year we were
without a mortuary attendant.
At the end of the year, the whole question of accommodation for
bodies in relation to the Wandsworth Mortuary was under review.
Under the Crematorium Regulations 1950, 1,391 cremations were
authorised during 1956, compared with 1,244 in 1955.
Burial of the Dead
Under Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, it is the
responsibility of the Council to arrange for the burial of persons who
die or are found dead in the Borough, and for whom no suitable
burial arrangements are made or are being made.
The number of persons buried under the provisions of the Act
during 1956 was 30.