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The Tonnage of vessels entering the Port of London during 194-6 was 17,314,187
tons as compared with 30,776,918 tons during 1938, the last occasion on which
these figures were available. Five thousand five hundred and forty five vessels
arrived from foreign ports and of these 1,553 were boarded by your Medical
Officers.
One hundred and forty one cases of communicable diseases (including malaria)
were reported as having occurred on vessels during the voyage of which 79 were
landed in the Port.
Seventy-one cases, of which particulars are given in Appendix II(b), were
admitted to Infectious Diseases Hospitals,
Difficulties in the staffing of Denton Hospital necessitated the continuance
of the arrangements by which communicable diseases were removed to hospitals in
the vicinity of the River. The Disinfector at the Hospital, however, was still at
the disposal of the Authority for the disinfection of cases arriving in the Port,
their clothing, bedding and effects.
No case of human plague occurred during the year on any vessel bound for
London.
Of the 1,626 rats examined bacteriologically, 1,059 were from vessels and 567
from shore premises. No rat was reported to be infected with plague.
One hundred and ninety-one vessels were fumigated for rodent destruction and
the issue of International Deratisation Certificates under the supervision of
your Inspectors, Four were fumigated with sulphur dioxide resulting in the
destruction of 98 rats and 187 with hydrogen cyanide accounting for 3,853 rats and
360 mice.
A total of 12,185 rats were destroyed during the course of the year, 6,410
in ships and 5,775 on shore premises in the Port. In addition 1,565 mice were
destroyed, 225 in ships and 1,340 on shore premises.
The work carried out under the Parrots (Prohibition of Import) Regulations,
1930, still in operation, is reported on page 19.
The number of water barges in use in the port was 11. As heretofore, the
registration of these craft by the Port of London Authority was made conditional
upon the report of your Officers as to the fitness of the barges for the carriage
of drinking water. These arrangements continued to work smoothly.
No action of any importance was taken in the application of the existing
Houseboat Bye-Laws to the houseboats coming within the jurisdiction of the Port
Health Authority, New Bye-Laws have been published in order that objections can
be made and the Minister of Health is unable to give his approval of the Bye-Laws
until such objections have been considered.
The total amount of foodstuffs seized and condemned for human consumption
and either reconditioned or disposed of for animal consumption or for industrial
purposes under guarantee or destroyed was 630 tons as compared with 720 tons during
the previous year.
The policy of salving foodstuffs and the reconditioning, where possible to
render them fit either for human or for animal consumption or for industrial purposes,
remained an urgent necessity and was continued throughout the year. Details
of the uses to which the foodstuffs have been put are given on page 18.
Your Medical Officer would like to take this opportunity of thanking the
Officers of His Majesty's Customs, of the Port of London Authority, the Pilots and
members of the staffs of the Shipping Companies and Merchants for their collaboration
and assistance in every aspect of the work of the Port Health Authority throughout
the year.
At the close of the year the only member of your permanent staff to be still
serving with the Forces was your Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr. H.M.
Willoughby, the remainder having safely returned and taken up their duties in the
Docks, on the River and at the Central Office. I have pleasure in reporting that all
members of your staff have carried out their duties both willingly and efficiently.
I have the honour to be,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
M.T. MORGAN.
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