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Preservation of Bodies of Unknown Dead.—The De Rechter apparatus for the preservation
of the dead, installed at the City Mortuary, in March, 1909, was fully described in the
Annual Report of that year. It has proved of considerable assistance in connection with
the identification of persons found drowned in the River Thames. During the year, four
bodies were placed in the apparatus, and of these two were subsequently identified.
Fire Inquests.—Dr. F. J. Waldo, J.P., Coroner for the City of London and Southwark,
has kindly furnished me with the following list of places in the City which were the subject
of Fire Inquests held by him during 1928 :—
INQUESTS HELD UNDER THE CITY OF LONDON FIRE INQUESTS ACT, 1888.
Date of Inquest. Premises Burnt.
24th and 27th September, 1928
1st and 10th Oct., 1928 Subway, Victoria Embankment.
10th Oct., 1928 Do. do. do.
In addition to the above, the City Coroner personally inquired into 190 "non-fatal"
City fires reported to him during the year.
DISINFECTANTS.
The disinfectants and other chemicals in use in the Public Health Department and in
other branches of the Corporation's service, have, as in the past, been supplied under a contract
prepared by your Medical Officer of Health.
They are used for deodorising and denaturising unsound meat, disinfecting public
conveniences, streets and roadways, premises after infectious diseases, etc.
Special attention was given to the thoroughfares in the vicinity of the Billingsgate and
Smithfield Markets, the former of which presents certain difficulties in the matter of deodorisation
in the summer months.
Very few complaints were, however, received of offensive odours necessarily associated
with the fish trade.
DISINFECTANTS (POISONOUS LIQUIDS)—DISTRIBUTION OF.
In view of the danger attending the distribution of poisonous liquid disinfectants in
receptacles such as beer bottles, the Ministry of Health have suggested that all such fluids
distributed by local authorities should be supplied only in containers distinguishable by
touch from ordinary bottles, and that the containers should be labelled boldy in red with
the words "Disinfectant—Poison-—not to be taken." Although it is not the practice of
my department to distribute disinfectants to the City residents in the way suggested by the
circular letter from the Ministry, on such rare occasions that fluids of this nature have been
distributed, the precautions suggested by the Ministry have always been adopted, and no
instances of illness or any untoward event has ever been reported to me in connection with
this distribution.
RAT REPRESSION.
The table set out on page 76 indicates the number of investigations made and details
of work carried out under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, during the year ended
December 31st, 1928. 1,148 buildings, occupied by 2,585 firms, were inspected. Of these,
464 were found to be rat infested. One or other of the rat-catchers working in the City was
engaged by business firms in 166 instances, poisons were laid down and traps of the breakback
variety used in 639 and mouse traps in 118. Varnish traps were relied on in 228 buildings.
Cats or dogs were kept bv 229 firms. Complaints or applications for advice numbered
144. In addition to the above palliative measures, preventive rat-proofing was carried out
in 399 instances, and repair of drainage defects in 988.
Rat-proofing cannot be relied upon to exclude rodents from buildings. They are
brought in in boxes and crates from the docks and enter open doors and windows, especially
through roof doors provided for exit in case of fire, yet rat-proofing is extremely important,
protecting food and the domestic water supply, lessening fire risk, and disclosing sanitary
defects which might otherwise remain undiscovered. Hiding places are eliminated and
the decrease of nesting facilities results. In many City buildings rat-proofing is practically
impossible, and, further, the owners, who are the only persons competent to deal structurally
with the buildings, are not responsible under the Act. Owners should certainly be associated
with occupiers in any rat repression work.