London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Port of London 1912

Report for the year ended 31st December 1912 of the Medical Officer of Health for the Port of London

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23
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 ceme from, or has, during a 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 feet 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 feet, and the
watchman shall keep the gangway pulled in board after sunset, or it shall be guarded in some
approved manner.
4. When alongside the quay, the ports on the side of the vessel nearest the quay shall be kept
closed after sunset.
5. All empty cases and barrels, especially those from the store rooms, shall be examined before
being landed, to ensure that no rats are contained therein.
6. It is recommended that all possible means be adopted for catching and destroying rats, both
on the voyage and during the stay of the vessel in port. Any rats so caught shall be killed, then
placed in a bucket of strong disinfecting solution, and afterwards burnt in the ship's furnace.
7. No rats, alive or dead, are to be removed from the ship without my permission in writing.
"If any person wilfully neglects or refuses to obey or carry out, or obstructs the
"execution of this Regulation, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding One
"Hundred Pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further penalty not
"exceeding Fifty Pounds for every day during which the offence continues."
HERBERT WILLIAMS, M.D., London,
December 31.st, 1907. Medical Officer of Health for the
Port of London.
Office—51, King William Street,
Greenwich, London, S.E.