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
Port of London 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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TABLE VIII. (Plague .)
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry and Official Number. | Where from. | Number of Cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908. Dec. 16 | s.s. " Den of Airlie," of Dundee, 104,732. | Calcutta | 1 | Removed to Hospital at Marseilles. |
Precautions under the Regulations for preventing, as far as possible, the
passage of rats between ship and shore have been enforced by the following
notice, which is handed to the Master of any vessel arriving at Gravesend from
an "infected " Port.
PORT OF LONDON SANITARY AUTHORITY.
The Local Government Board have issued Regulations for the
prevention of the introduction of Plague, Yellow Fever and Cholera
into this country, and whereas, by such Regulations it is provided,
inter alia, as follows:—
REGULATION 24 (2).
"The master of a ship which by reason of plague is an infected ship, or a
"suspected ship, or which has come from, or has, during the voyage, called at a
"port infected with plague, or in which there are rats infected with plague, or
"in which there is or has been during the voyage an unusual mortality among
"rats, shall, under the direction and to the satisfaction of the Medical Officer of
"Health, take all such precautions or employ all such means for effectually
"stopping the access of rats from the ship to the shore as in the opinion of the
"Medical Officer of Health are measures reasonably necessary for the prevention
"of danger arising to public health from the ship;"
This is to give Notice that, in my opinion, given under the Regulation
aforesaid, the following precautions are reasonably necessary for stopping
the access of rats from the ship to the shore:—
1. All ropes and mooring tackle for securing the vessel either to the shore
or mooring buoys, shall be fitted with metal brushes, funnels, or other effective
guards, the portions of such ropes and mooring tackle leading from the vessel
to a distance from the vessel's side of at least four leet shall be coated each
night with fresh tar. Ropes may, if desired, be protected by a covering of
canvas or yarns before tarring.
2. When not engaged in discharging cargo, one gangway only shall be
permitted to afford means of communication between the ship and the shore.
3. The end of the gangway near the ship shall be whitened for a length of
10 ft., and the watchman shall keep the gangway pulled in board after sunset,
or it shall he guarded in some approved manner.