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caretaker. It is stated that people have no great aversion to going there. The house has been much
used, the average stay in it being one night, but some persons have been there six nights.
13. Plumstead (Charlton)—One room has been provided in a lean-to building in the parish
wharf. It is supplied with chairs and a table and a small gas-stove. No provision has been made for
cooking or sleeping. It has only been used once since it was opened a year ago. It is said that
people object to going there.
The following additional information is given in the reports of the medical officers of health—
St. James, Westminster—The report of the vestry states " the house adjacent to the mortuary
and stoneyard, and known as 6, Dufour-place, the lease of which, as intimated in the last annual
report, the vestry has agreed to take, has been appropriated as a residence for the caretaker of the yard
and mortuary and for accommodation for persons temporarily displaced for the disinfection of their
homes."
St. Pancras—The family shelter at the disinfecting station was in course of erection.
Strand—A house has been leased, and will be at all times available.
Holborn—" The board came to an arrangement with the Clerkenwell Vestry to use part of
their shelter in Northampton-row, and we have invited and urged several poor families to remove
temporarily into this convenient shelter, but as yet without success. They prefer to get accommodated
by their friends and neighbours. A furnished house in the district might probably attract them,
but I fear nothing else will."
St. Luke—The report of the Vestry of Clerkenwell states " the St. Luke's Vestry have discontinued
their joint tenancy of the shelter provided by this vestry for persons requiring accommodation
while their houses are being disinfected."
Shoreditch—" An eight-room house, situate at 18, Branch-place, was taken by the vestry at a
rental of 18s. per week and furnished with such articles as are likely to be required by any family
placed in temporary occupation. A caretaker and his wife were put in charge to look after the
premises, air the rooms, bedding, &c., and to make ready for any persons whom it may be necessary
to send there whilst their own dwellings are being disinfected. Since August, 18, Branch-place has
been used for the accommodation of a family of seven, amongst whom a case of cholera had occurred ;
of a second family of seven, amongst whom two cases of smallpox had occurred ; and of a father and two
children, the remainder of the family, consisting of the mother and four children, having been removed
to the hospital stricken with scarlatina. The whole cost of furnishing the house was just under £10.
St. George-in-the-East—Shelter " was used on six different occasions, and was especially
useful."
Mile-end Old-town—During prevalence of smallpox the sanitary committee gave instructions
for a house to be taken as a shelter, and two families immediately lodged in it. " The shelter has been
of great service since then, and a number of families have, and are from time to time being lodged
temporarily, generally for about twenty-four hours. The attendants are a man in the employ of the
vestry with his wife. . . . Those persons who have been obliged to come there have expressed
themselves grateful for the privilege."
St. Olave—The Board have taken four cottages on leases and have completely furnished one
as a shelter, the others being ready in the event of cholera arising in this district."
Plumstead—" A house has been taken and furnished as a shelter for families requiring
accommodation while their rooms are being disinfected. So far it has been used in only one case."
Greenwich—" The house has been partly furnished, and during the year has been inhabited
by three families from Greenwich."
Camberwell—Up to the end of the year no site was found, but temporary cottages could be
used.
Wandsworth (Streatham)—The parish has provided "a very comfortable shelter at the new
wharf buildings."
Mortuaries.
The subject of mortuary accommodation in London was during the year under the consideration
of a joint committee consisting of members of the Public Health and Public Control Committees.
Inquiry was instituted by the Public Health department into the accommodation which had been
provided.
This accommodation in the following districts was regarded as satisfactory or such as not to
necessitate any representations by the Council to the sanitary authority—
Kensington , Hampstead Whitechapel
Fulham St. Pancras Bermondsey
Chelsea Hackney Battersea
St. George, Hanover-square St. Giles Camberwell
Westminster Clerkenwell Newington
Marylebone Bethnal-green Strand
A separate chamber for the bodies of persons dying of infectious disease was to be provided in
connection with the Fulham mortuary.
The accommodation in the following districts was found not to include any separate chamber
for the bodies of those who had died of infectious disease—
St. Luke St. George-the-Martyr Greenwich
Shoreditch Lambeth St. Olave
St. George-in-the-East addington
In St. George-in-the-East alterations of the mortuary were carried out during the year in order
to provide a separate chamber for the bodies of those who had died of infectious disease and to improve
the approach to the mortuary. In Paddington the subject of the erection of a new mortuary, or the