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to the precautions adopted there has been no serious outbreak of this disease amongst
the rats. The bacteriological examination of rats has been continued at considerable
expense, but your Committee consider they are justified in incurring this expense
as it is of the utmost importance, not only in the interests of the public health
to be able to detect the early occurrence of Plague amongst the rats so that the
necessary precautions may be taken, but also in the interests of commerce the disease
should be prevented from spreading, thus obviating any necessity for rigorous
treatment of vessels arriving from Great Britain in foreign ports. The Medical Officer
points out the necessity for making absolutely rat-proof buildings which are used for
the storage of foodstuffs, and the attention of the Port of London Authority has been
directed to this.
The Medical Officer also considers that vessels should be fumigated with a lethal
gas at intervals not exceeding six months for the destruction of rats on board. This,
he points out, need not be done in this country so long as the operation, wherever
performed, is done in a satisfactory manner.
Several vessels arrived during the year having had cases of Small-pox on board, but
it was only necessary to treat two cases in the hospital of this Authority at Denton.
Cases of Diphtheria occurred at intervals on one of the training ships. The
outbreak received careful attention at the hands of the Medical Officer. The type
of disease was a mild one, and it is satisfactory to record that no deaths occurred
amongst the boys. The recommendations made by the Medical Officer of Health were
readily carried out by those in charge of the ship, and no cases have occurred since.
Vessels continue to arrive with Beri-beri. No less than 38 cases have been
reported during the year.
This disease is considered to be due to unsuitable diet and no public danger is
likely to arise therefrom.
Many cases of Tuberculosis have occurred on vessels, and in each instance the
necessary precautions have been taken, but it is pointed out that so long as the seamen
continue to be housed under the present unsatisfactory conditions, this disease will
continue to be prevalent amongst them.
The sanitary condition of crews' quarters has received considerable attention. The
primary duty of supervising the sanitary conditions of crews' quarters is in the hands
of the Board of Trade, and several cases are reported on new vessels which fall short of
the Board's minimum requirements. Certainly the conditions are such as would not
be tolerated by any Sanitary Authority with respect to premises on shore.
The duties of inspection of foodstuffs continue to be carried on in a satisfactory
manner and entail a very large amount of work on the Officers of this Authority.
Tables are given showing the large quantities which have been seized and destroyed
or otherwise dealt with as unfit for human food.
Some condensed milk was imported which was found on examination not to be
sterile, but contained a large number of micro-organisms. This is a cheap kind of