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CHOLERA IN EGYPT,
During the latter part of the year a severe Cholera epidemic
broke out in Egypt. While it was extremely unlikely that any
actual cases of cholera would be introduced into the United Kingdom
by ships arriving from Egyptian ports, it was, nevertheless, deemed
advisable, as a measure of safety, to require that all ships that
had taken on water in Egypt on their voyage home should chlorinate
all such water, then to pump out the tanks containing such water and
to have the tanks cleansed. Any fresh water taken on in these
tanks, no matter what the source, should be chlorinated before use.
The bilges were required to be pumped dry.
To this end the Pilotage Department of Trinity House was
requested to collaborate by distributing to their Pilots the
following notice with an instruction that the Pilots should hand a
copy of the notice to the Masters of all ships arriving from Egypt
To the Master
s. s.
You are hereby required forthwith to
chlorinate all water that has been taken on in any
port in Egypt, then to pump out the tanks containing
such water and to have the tanks cleansed. Any
fresh water taken on in these tanks should be
chlorinated before use. The bilges should also be
pumped dry.
(Sgd) M.T.MORGAN.
Medical Officer of Health,
Port of London.
In addition it was deemed advisable that any fresh fish, shellfish,
fruit and vegetables taken on in Egypt should be destroyed in
the ship's furnace and an instruction was sent to your Boarding
Medical Officers to seize any such material on arrival of a ship off
Gravesend and supervise its destruction.
The action to be taken on the arrival of vessels in dock was
laid down in the following memorandum which was circulated to all
your Sanitary Inspectors;-
"A supply of liquid Chloros (Sodium Hypochlorite solution)
has been obtained from the Metropolitan Water Board for the
chlorination of ship's tanks that have taken on water in an
Egyptian port.
Arrangements have been made for the dispatch of one
container (one gallon size) to the East and West India Dock
Office, the Surrey Dock Office and the Tilbury Dock Office.
These containers should be kept in a cool dark place.
The procedure to follow is as described hereunder -
(1) Instructions have been given, through the Pilots, to all
ships that have called at an Egyptian port and have taken on
water there, to chlorinate the tanks concerned as soon as
they receive the instructions at the mouth of the Thames, and
then to empty the tanks forthwith before they proceed up the
Thames; after emptying, the tanks to be flushed out.
(2) As soon as the ship arrives in dock and takes on fresh water
in these tanks, this water is to be chlorinated with Chloros
solution under the supervision of the Sanitary Inspector, who
must also see that the tank has been flushed out before
refilling.
(3) To chlorinate the tanks, proceed as follows -
Each individual tank must receive an amount of Chloros
solution calculated for the amount of water to be taken on
in the tank -
1-oz. of Chloros solution is required for each
1,000 gallons of water.
1,000 gallons = hi tons.
(19) .