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The Report sets out inter alia details of the medical inspection of incoming
vessels from foreign ports.
During the year under review the number exceeds that of any previous
year, and is accounted for by the outbreak of cholera in Russia, and in Dutch
ports, the proximity of which to this country caused some anxiety to your
officers.
The Medical Officer sets out in detail the precautionary measures which he
deemed necessary to adopt with a view to preventing the introduction of
cholera into this country.
Attention is drawn to a possible loophole, owing to the carelessness and
want of co-operation on the part of some of the incoming passengers, and the
Medical Officer points out that, having regard to this fact, it might be necessary
to adopt more stringent measures in the future, and only to allow passengers
to land after he has received satisfactory evidence as to the correctness of the
addresses given by them.
The Sanitary Inspection of Shipping also shows a large increase over past
years, and this in spite of the more responsible work thrown upon the
Inspectors in connection with the inspection of foods.
The Medical Officer points out that this is due to the additional Inspectors
who have been appointed, thus enabling the districts to be concentrated, and
consequently more adequately supervised.
A floating disinfecting plant has been installed, and is available for use, not
only for dealing with the fumigation and disinfection of incoming vessels, but
also, if required, for the fumigation of outgoing vessels, so that they may be
subject to diminished restrictions when arriving at their destination.
The details of Food Inspection indicate clearly the increased work which
has been done by this Authority in consequence of the additional powers
conferred upon them by the Regulations made under the Public Health
(Regulations as to Food) Act, and the Medical Officer sets out many examples
of interest, which indicate the importance of this work in the public interest.
An account is given of a small outbreak of plague amongst the rats in one
of the docks. The outbreak was very limited, and the measures taken for
preventing a spread proved quite effectual.
The number of alien passengers coming into the United Kingdom, as also
those entering the Port of London, is set out in the form of a table, together
with the number of persons rejected on medical grounds.
Particulars of the inspection of canal boats under the Canal Boats Acts and
Regulations are also given. It is noted that the number inspected again
exceeds one thousand.