456 The Public Health. [July, 



worship of dirt, a great deal of good has been effected. But the 

 drawback — the blot in this otherwise excellent arrangement — is that 

 the Act gives the vestry the power to elect these officers, and to 

 name their salaries. The consequence is, that in one instance a 

 vestry has had the insolence to offer its medical officer of health, the 

 magnificent stipend of twelve guineas a year. Not one single vestry 

 in London can be said to have behaved honourably and trustworthily 

 in this matter. Saint Pancras, after having appointed an efficient 

 officer of health, and given him 400?. a year for two years, delibe- 

 rately reduced it to 25 01. a year, without diminishing the duties of 

 the office. Saint Marylebone, on the death of Dr. E. D. Thomson, 

 handed over the office to his successor on the condition that he 

 accepted it for 3007. a year. Paddington has just reduced the salary 

 of its health officer from 300Z. a year to 250?. Saint James, West- 

 minster, the richest parish in London, reduced the salary of its 

 health officer four years ago from 200/. to 150Z. a year. 



During the past quarter, two interesting discussions have taken 

 place in the Health Department of the Social Science Association. 

 The first was on the Fourth Annual Report of the Coroner for Cen- 

 tral I\Iiddlesex. On the reading of the paper on the 13th February, 

 there was a general discussion, and the following points were 

 reserved for an adjourned meeting : — 1, the propriety of appointing 

 special experts to conduct post-mortem examinations at coroners' 

 inquests; 2, the advisability of introducing the inquiries of the 

 Coroner's Court in every case of death in workhouses ; 3, the neces- 

 sity of erecting public mortuaries in the metropolis otherwise than 

 in connection with workhouses. 



Dr. W. Farr was in the chair, and the following resolutions 

 were carried : — 



" That ihis meeting is of opinion that it is desirable that 

 attached to the Coroner's Court there should be special medical 

 officers, unconnected with private practice, and publicly appointed 

 to investigate the cause of death and report it to the jury." 



" That larger powers should be given to the coroner to call in 

 a second medical opinion in any doubtful or obscure case." 



" That the special officer proposed in the preceding resolution 

 should, as soon as practicable, be the medical officer of registration 

 proposed by Dr. Farr, and should act as the Officer of Health, who 

 ought to be appointed in every registration district throughout the 

 country." 



" That it is the opinion of this meeting that public mortuaries 

 ought to l)e erected in proper places for the prevention of the 

 spread of infectious diseases, for the conveniences of the Coroners' 

 courts, and for other purposes." 



" That it is desirable that notice be given to the Coroner of 

 every death that occurs in a workhouse, as of those which occur 



