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MEDICAL INSPECTION OF ALIENS
The total number of aliens referred to the Medical Inspectors during the last five years was:
1971 9,432
1970 8,488
1969 6,203
1968 5,351
1967 5,314
The number of Forms Port 12 in 1971 was 103 (81 in 1970).
The categories of aliens seen in 1971 was:
(a) Those appearing to be mentally or physically abnormal 93
(b) Those appearing not to be in good health 43
(c) Those appearing to be bodily dirty 2
(d) Those mentioning health as a reason for their visit 90
(e) Those intending to make their home in this country or
to remain for more than six months 9,204
There were 73 refusals on medical recommendation (68 in 1970).
The reasons for recommendation were:
Mental instability 55 Cholera 1
Pulmonary tuberculosis 7* Pregnancy 1
Drug addiction 5 Non-medical 1
Venereal disease 3
* Two of these cases were not X-rayed at Heathrow, hence the apparent discrepancy in the section
on tuberculosis.
X-RAY UNIT
When the Ministry of Health installed the Odelca Camera in the Oceanic Building (now
Terminal 3) in 1965, it was intended primarily for the X-ray of chests of immigrants arriving in
that terminal to exclude pulmonary tuberculosis. It was considered at the time that there were so
few immigrants arriving in the Europa Terminal that the installation of a second unit was not
justified. Should any immigrant be suspected, on clinical examination, of suffering from this
condition then arrangements would be made to transport the passenger over to Terminal 3 for
X-ray. It was, however, felt that there were too many practical difficulties for routine X-ray
examination to be carried out of all immigrants arriving in the Europa Building (now Terminal 2)
and in Terminal 1.
Since 1965, the number of immigrants arriving in Terminals 1 and 2 has steadily increased.
In the middle of August 1971 it was decided to keep records of those immigrants—both Commonwealth
and alien—who arrived in Terminals 1 and 2 and who would in the normal way have been
X-rayed had there been on-the-spot facilities for this to be done.
These records show that between 15th August and 31st December 2,133 aliens out of a
total of 2,576 would have been X-rayed; for Commonwealth immigrants the figures were 1,149
out of 2,436. Pro-rated for the year these figures become:
Aliens - 5,688 Commonwealth - 3,064 Total - 8,752
It is a matter for consideration whether these figures now merit the installation of a second
X-ray unit.
The total number of immigrants X-rayed during 1971 was 9,383, and of these 8,576 were
from Commonwealth countries and 807 were alien or stateless. The usual monthly trend was
again followed in that there was a steady increase in the number of X-rays taken from 674 in
January up to a peak of 1,257 in September—nearing the start of the academic year—and then
falling off again to 639 in December. There is no doubt that this latter figure would have been
considerably higher, but for the Indo-Pakistani war which interrupted all flights.
During the year the Radiographer trained 15 clerk/receptionists to operate the plant in
her absence.
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