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 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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4. Nature and amount of alien traffic.
(a) Total number of arriving vessels carrying aliens 2,690
(b) Total number of aliens (excluding transmigrants, seamen and airmen) —
(i) Arriving at the port 29,458
(ii) Medically inspected 13,017
(iii) Medically examined 388
(c) Certificates issued 2
(d) Transmigrants landed and medically inspected Nil
5. Accommodation for medical inspection and examination is provided on Tilbury Landing Stage,
though in practice, the majority of aliens are inspected in the ship on arrival and any necessary
chaperonage is provided by nursing sisters or stewardesses borne in the ship.
SECTION XVI-MISCELLANEOUS
Arrangements for the burial on shore of persons who have died on board ship from infectious
disease.
The body of any person dying on board ship, or in Denton Hospital, from infectious disease
would normally be removed from the ship or Denton Hospital for burial by a Private Undertaker
acting on the instructions of the shipping company or the next-of-kin, the local police being kept
informed.
In the event of the death being one of smallpox, special instructions as to precautions to be
taken would be given to the undertaker by the Port Health Authority.
FOOD INSPECTION
showing the method of disposal of the foodstuffs concerned:
| Method of Disposal | Weight | Comparable Weight 1959 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tons | Cwts. | Qrs. | Lbs. | Tons | Cwts. | Ots. | Lbs. | |
| Burnt | 270 | 15 | 3 | 255 | 13 | 0 | 10 | |
| Buried | 2,333 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1,605 | 15 | 0 | 5 |
| Boiling down | 90 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 143 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
| Animal feeding | 129 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 336 | 13 | 1 | 8 |
| Refining | 396 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 9 | 0 | 22 |
| Released to other districts | 75 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 495 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Manufacturing etc. purposes | 160 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 42 | 12 | 2 | 24 |
| Re-exported | 55 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 10 | |
| Totals | 3,511 | 11 | 2 | 2l | 3,010 | 18 | 1 | 10 |
Of the 3,511 tons listed above, the principal items and methods of disposal were as follows:
| Tons cwts. | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1,611 cartons and cases and 13,744 cans fruits, juices, pulps, vegetables, meats and fish (burst, blown or leaky) | 91 | 10 |
| 590 cartons, cases and trays fruit ('wasty') | 16 | 12 |
| 2,856 cartons, cases and trays vegetables ('wasty') | 63 | 15 |
| 7 barrels mackerel in brine (decomposed) | 9 | |
| 5 barrels olives ('wasty') | 6 | |
| 2 casks mango chutney (dirty) | 2 | |
| 4 casks fruit pulp and/or pickle (dirty) | 1 | 4 |
| 9 chests of tea (dock water damaged) | 8 | |
| 2 casks lemon skins (damaged and dirty) | 18 | |
| 182 half baskets tomatoes ('wasty') | 1 | 8 |
| 126 baskets carrots ('wasty') | 1 | 14 |
| 150 crates cauliflower ('wasty') | 2 | 7 |
| 253 cartons sultanas, raisins and currants (wet damaged and/or dirty) . . | 3 | 4 |
| 321 bags and boxes potatoes ('wasty') | 8 | 0 |
| 1,326 boxes oranges ('wasty') | 37 | 5 |
| 4 bags loose collected tea | 1 | |