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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37
I visited the ship in company with Dr. Sells, the Medical Officer of the ship, on
26th September, and made a thorough inspection of the ship, and enquired carefully
into all matters likely to throw any light on the source of infection.
On examination of the Table on page 36, it will be seen that the cases occur
irrespective of the number of the mess or contiguity of the hammock slinging.
The mess traps, knives and forks, &c., are carefully washed in hot water every day,
and when a case of Diphtheria has occurred in any member of the mess, all traps
belonging to that mess are boiled.
Each deck is sprayed with Izal once a week, and during the vacation, from 26th
June to 10th July, the whole ship was fumigated with Formalin.
There was a serious leak in the side of the vessel during the present year, and this
allowed water to enter the bilges, which were consequently always wet. This leak was
stopped in July, and at the time of my inspection the bilges were found practically dry.
The boys sleep on the lower deck, slung in hammocks. There is a urinal on each
side, which is kept closed during the day and used only at night in cases of emergency.
One urinal is situated opposite sling 109 on starboard side, and 110 on port side, and it
will be noted that no case has occurred in the occupants of the hammocks slung in the
vicinity of the urinal.
Dr. Sells, Medical Officer of the ship, has no doubt that the cases were Diphtheria
from the clinical symptoms, &c., and from bacteriological examination.
Every boy who complained was at once sent ashore, and isolated, and kept under
observation. A swab from the throat was sent to the Clinical Research Institute, and
only those cases were notified as Diphtheria, which were reported as "positive"after
bacteriological examination, and, in addition, presented the usual clinical signs of
Diphtheria.
Several cases of Tonsillitis also occurred which were isolated and dealt with in the
same manner. Swabs from these throats were sent for examination and were reported
as "negative."
The nature of the disease was mild, and each boy was kept four weeks in hospital,
and given two weeks' leave—returning to the vessel at the expiration of six weeks from
the onset of the disease.
No paralysis was observed in either of the cases, as a complication following the
disease, and no death occurred.
The vessel is situated as the upper one of the three and receives the first force of
the ebb tide, containing the effluent from Barking and Crossness, several miles away,
but no smells or any offensive condition of the water have been observed.
River water was formerly used for washing down the lower decks, but this
practice has been discontinued and only fresh water pumped from the tanks is now
used for that purpose.
Enquiry was made as to the use of slates on board, as these might have been a
source of infection from the practice of some boys cleaning their slates after spitting on
them; but none are used.
Penholders are used in common. These might become infected by a boy, when in
an early stage of the disease, putting them into his mouth.