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6
PORT OF LONDON SANITARY OFFICES,
51, KING WILLIAM STREET,
GREENWICH, S.E. 10.
TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE PORT OF LONDON
SANITARY COMMITTEE.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present herewith my Annual Report for the year ending
31st December, 1920.
Medical Inspection.—The total number of vessels medically inspected during
the year was 763, and the total number of cases of illness reported to your Medical
Officers was 1,493, of which number 80 cases were removed to Denton Hospital.
Aliens.—An outline of the scheme of inspection suggested by your Medical
Officer of Health will be found on page 7.
Infectious Disease.—There are no features of outstanding importance to report
relative to the incidence of infectious disease in the Port. A comparison of the figures
in the Tables shows a slight rise above the average in the number of cases of Cholera
reported on vessels during the voyage, also of Small-pox and Diphtheria. Two cases
of Plague were removed to Hospital, both cases proving fatal. There were also two
deaths from Small-pox.
Notes of cases presenting points of general interest are, as usual, appended.
A summary of the Port Sanitary Authorities (Infectious Diseases) Regulations,
1920, is given on page 8. These Regulations are of great importance as freeing
Port Authorities from too minute a written regulation of their work in Infectious
Disease, and as allowing them scope for effective dealing with insanitary conditions
leading to infections whatever the type of disease and method of communication and
of prevention.
Your Medical Officer of Health adopted the course of circulating among the
shipping of the Port a few notes on practical measures to be taken on board ship with
a view to preventing or abating an outbreak of Influenza. (See page 26.)
A list of the cases and character of Venereal Diseases reported is also given. The
contribution of the Corporation to the Treatment Centre at the Royal Albert Dock was
increased during the year from 300l. to 400l. per annum.
The total number of vessels disinfected on account of Infectious Disease was 87.
Rats.—The total number reported destroyed throughout the Port during the
year was 79,905. The result of the examination of dead rats for evidence of Plague
was 3,665 examined, the number found infected being nil. Twenty-nine vessels were
fumigated for destruction of rats in the Port, and the total number of dead rats
recovered after such fumigation was 4,955. A list is also given showing the vessels
entering the Port which were reported to have been fumigated abroad for the same
purpose.
An analysis of the Rats and Mice Destruction Act, 1919, with details of
precautionary measures, together with a summary of a Paper contributed by your
Medical Officer at the Congress of the Royal Sanitary Institute at Birmingham, is set
out on page 38.
Food Inspection.—The total approximate weight of goods condemned as unfit
for human food was 4,102 tons (Table XXXIIT.). The Report describes the method
of disposal of this quantity, of which 912 tons were positively destroyed by fire or
burial. Descriptive notes of other food material dealt with are also given.
Sanitary Inspection.—The total number of visits of inspection was 27,519.
The yearly average for the ten years ending 31st December last being 33,779.
A perusal of the figures shown in Table XXXV. shows that visits to vessels from
foreign ports practically equal the average, other inspections show a lower ratio. Of
the total visits, 6,825 were made by launch.
Particulars are given in Tables XXXVI. and XXXVII. of the character of the
insanitary conditions found and of the number of vessels, &c., affected.
Canal Boats.—The Annual Report on the Working of the Canal Boats Acts and
Regulations is appended to this Report.