London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Shoreditch 1898
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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for which the powder was intended to be used, and numbers of insanitary conditions
thus came under the observation of the Vestry's inspectors. Altogether 1,872 halfpound
packets of disinfecting powder were given away at a cost of £5 4s. 0d., and 1
cwt. of loose powder was used at the public mortuary. In addition, 26 gallons of
carbolic and disinfecting fluid were used at a cost of £5 17s. This was principally used
for special cases of disinfection, for flushing bouse drains, for cleansing at the public
mortuary, and in certain cases for the purification of flooring and wood-work of
dwelling rooms.
THE SHELTER.
The temporary shelter or house accommodation which is provided by the Vestry
free of charge at No. 18, Branch Place, Hoxton, for members of any family who are
obliged to vacate their dwelling to allow of the necessary measures being taken as to
disinfection, was in use during the year on six occassions.
The particulars are set out below:—
TABLE XXIII.
| Date of Admittance to Shelter | Length of Stay. | Number of Persons. | Address. | Disease. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 20th | 1 night | 7 | 33, Holt's Place | Enteric Fever |
| April 13th | 1 „ | 2 | 100, Scawfell Street | Scarlet Fever |
| July 4th | 1 „ | 1 | 21, Myrtle Street | Diphtheria |
| July 13th | 1 „ | 8 | 43, Felton Street | Scarlet Fever |
| July 21st | 1 „ | 4 | 22, Cavendish Street | Scarlet Fever |
| November 21st | 1 „ | 2 | 52, Huntingdon Street | Diphtheria |
Altogether 23 persons were admitted during 1898. Since the shelter was
established in 1893, it has been made use of on 43 occasions for the accommodation
of 157 men, women and children. The question of obtaining a shelter better adapted
for the purpose than the present one is under consideration.
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
The bodies received into the Public Mortuary during the year 1898, numbered 446,
including the bodies of 9 persons dying of infectious disease which, were removed from
dwellings where it was impossible for them to be retained without risk being incurred
by the inmates. A specially constructed air-tight iron shell has been provided at the
mortuary for decomposing and infectious bodies. The number of bodies received into
the Shoreditch Mortuary during the past six years has averaged over 400 annually. A
table shewing the numbers of bodies deposited in the Mortuary each year from 1876 to
1896 is contained in the Annual Report for 1897.