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carcases were free from tuberculosis in any degree. Concerning imported tripe, tongues, or kidneys,
Dr. Buchanan recommends that the introduction from abroad at English ports should be prohibited of
tripe (whether cooked or uncooked), tongues and kidneys, which arrive in receptacles containing any
preparation consisting of or comprising boric acid ; borax or other borates ; sulphurous acid or
sulphites.
Disinfection.
The provision of a disinfecting station in Paddington which has long been a matter of discussion
was still under consideration at the end of 1907, no decision having been arrived at during the year.
Dr. Reginald Dudfield reports that several proposals had been before the Borough Council and
the majority of them rejected. In the meantime the work of disinfection of infected articles
is being done by a contractor. Dr. T. Orme Dudfield reports favourably of the new disinfecting station
which has been provided in Kensington and states that the Borough Council had prepared plans for
the erection of four cottages for the occupation of the men employed in the work of disinfection, and
had applied to the Local Government Board for sanction to borrow about £1,300, the cost of their construction.
The Board, however, took exception to the plans on the ground that the bedrooms were
unnecessarily large and the cost excessive, and the Borough Council thereupon decided to defer further
consideration of the matter for six months.
Dr. Millson calls attention to the insufficient accommodation afforded by the two disinfecting
stations in Southwark. The want of laundry accommodation and of means of dealing with articles
which cannot be disinfected by heat are pointed out; the floor space of one is said to be too small and
there" is absence of bathing facilities for the men employed in disinfection or accommodation for
the storing and changing of clothes when work is over, or for taking meals. Dr. Millson states
that " in consequence all the men intimately concerned with the disinfection of rooms and clothing
mix freely with the outside public under conditions likely to cause infectious disease.Dr. Alexander
discusses in his report relating to Poplar the cost of manufacture of "Electrolytic Disinfecting Fluid,"
which is prepared from a solution of sodium chloride and of magnesium chloride, and he states that
the reduction in the cost of disinfectants effected thereby has been sufficient to pay for the cost of the
plant and to leave a surplus of nearly £400.
Shelters.
The disinfection of rooms by " spraying " instead of by fumigation which has been more largely
adopted in recent years has had its effect in the lessened extent of use of the shelters bv persons
needing accommodation during the disinfection of their homes.

Mortuaries.
It is interesting to note the extent of use of mortuaries in London. During 1907, 8,552 bodies
(of which 110 were those of persons who died from infectious disease) were received into the mortuaries
belonging to the several sanitary authorities, or more than twelve per cent. of the bodies of all the
persons who died during the year. The increase in the extent to which mortuaries have been used in
recent years is no doubt largely due to the improvement in the character of the accommodation
which has been provided, since the passing of the Public Health Act, and in this connection it is
interesting to note that Dr. Allan reports that in Westminster while the number of bodies removed to
the mortuaries to await inquest has lately declined, there has been increase in the number removed
while awaiting interment. It is still the practice of undertakers to receive on their premises the
bodies of persons awaiting burial, and this subject was in 1907 under the consideration of the Borough
Council of Islington on the report of their medical officer of health. Dr. Harris thus writes in his
annual report:—
In the early part of the year the Medical Officer of Health drew the attention of the Public Health Committee
to the objectionable practice which obtains among undertakers of keeping on their premises coffins containing
dead bodies, which, for sanitary and other reasons, have been removed from residences of the deceased before the
day of burial, and, consequently, the Town Clerk was directed to communicate with all the undertakers in the borough
to point out that such a practice was fraught with danger to the health of the workmen employed in these premises
as well as of the public. He was also instructed to say that with a view to providing suitable accommodation for
this purpose in Islington, arrangements had been made for the mortuary in Holloway road to be placed at the
disposal of undertakers who found it necessary to take charge of dead bodies prior to the day of burial, and to add