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7
and the additional expense of adapting it for disinfection would not be
large.
I believe that a good disinfecting establishment might be made quite
self-supporting if it was thought desirable to charge for the u e of it—
for there is great need in London for a place to which bedding and furniture,
which have been used by patients with Scarlet Fever, Small Pox, and similar
diseases, can be sent for thorough purification. It would serve in a great
degree to check the spread of these diseases.
In my last Annual Report, and in another report during the past year,
I called your attention to the 27th and 28tli Sections of the Sanitary Act,
1866, by which you are empowered to provide a mortuary building for the
reception of corpses previous to interment, as well as a place for conducting
post-mortem examinations oil dead bodies in cases of coroners' inquests. The
importance of these clauses and the want of such buildings were, I believe,
generally admitted by you when the report was considered. You determined
chiefly on the score of economy, and on account of the many heavy expenses
recently incurred by the Parish, to take no action in the matter at that time.
I trust, however, that the subject will not be lost sight of, and that soon St.
Pancras will be furnished with a suitable mortuary, independent of the deadhouse
supplied for paupers by the Guardians of the Poor. At the present
time the Guardians are contemplating the erection of a mortuary for the
Workhouse on the Old St. Pancras Burial Ground. It might be suggested
that by joint action, an establishment could be erected for the public as well
as for the paupers, more economically than by independent action. The
objection to such a plan is that it is undesirable to accustom people who are
not obliged to do so to resort to parochial relief in any shape, or to make them
too familiar with the Workhouse, lest they regard it as the place in which
they may reasonably expect to end their days. It is important that the feelings
of those who are opposed to receiving parochial assistance, should be
encouraged rather than otherwise.
A much better site than the Old St. Pancras Burial Ground is the
Burial Ground of St. Martin's, in Pratt Street. The Trustees of that ground
are quite prepared to let on building lease a portion of that Cemetery at the
North-East corner for the purpose of a public mortuary.
An Act of Parliament was passed during the year of 1867, entitled " The
Workshops Regulation Act." It is likely that after a short time this Act will
entail much additional work on the Officers of the Sanitary Department.
By this Act—(1). No child under the age of eight years shall be employed
in any handicraft. (2). No child under 13 years of age shall be employed on
any one day in any handicraft for a period of more than six and a half hours,
and such employment shall take place only between the hours of six in the
morning and eight at night. (3). No young person (between 13 and 18 years
of age) and no woman shall be employed during any period of twenty-four
hours for more than twelve hours, with intervening periods for taking meals
and rest amounting in the whole to not less than one hour and a half, and
such employment shall take place only between tbe hours of five in the
morning and nine at night. (4). No child, young person, or woman shall