Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
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172
remaining 80 inquests were held at public-houses; so that the
object your Vestry had in view in providing the accommodation,
was but partially realised. When inquests are held at publichouses,
the post-mortem examination of the body is necessarily
made in the house where death takes place, at which too commonly
proper accommodation is totally wanting. Communications passed
last year, between the coroner and your Yestry, with regard to
the use of the court and of the mortuary, which issued in a more
adequate use being made of those valuable institutions. In February
of the present year the London County Council passed a resolution
to the effect "That all coroners having jurisdiction within the
administrative County of London be instructed, as far as it is
practicable, and accommodation is available, to cease holding
inquests or coroner's courts in public-houses." This resolution, I
am glad to state, is bearing good fruit; inquests now being rarely
held at public-houses in this Parish.
BEOMPTON CEMETERY.
A mild agitation for the closing of this cemetery, not the first,
was set on foot last year, and a question was put in the House of
Commons, in April last, Whether the Government (to whom the
cemetery belongs) taking into consideration the great increase of
property and population in the neighbourhood, had decided to
close it, as was proposed by the Government in 1884, and to hand
it over, as a disused burial ground, to the London County Council,
with due regard to the vested interests of persons interested, and
the policy of the intramural Acts ? In reply, Mr. Jackson stated
that it was not necessary on sanitary grounds to close the cemetery
and as there was a present income of £6000 per annum derived
from the cemetery, he was not prepared to advise that it should
be closed on other grounds. It will be remembered that last year
the London County Council made inquiry as to your Vestry's
views in regard to closing the cemetery as a burial ground, and maintaining
it as an open space ? The reply given was to the effect