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infection of any dangerous infectious disease, requiring delivery thereof to an
officer of the Sanitary Authority for the purpose of destruction or disinfection,
and if any person fails to comply with such notice, he shall, on the
information of the Sanitary Authority, be liable to a fine not exceeding 10l.
Thus the Master of a vessel failing to report disease, or to stop at Gravesend
till the Medical Officer has boarded the ship, or to deliver articles for
disinfection, is liable to a penalty. But beyond the penalty, the Port
Sanitary Authority has no power of stopping or detaining a vessel.
Her Majesty's Customs have no power to detain any vessel on account of
infectious disease, except in the case of cholera, yellow fever, or plague. (In
the case of cholera, the vessel is handed over to the Port Sanitary Authority
under the Cholera Order. In the case of yellow fever or plague, the vessel is
dealt with by Her Majesty's Privy Council).
The Customs Officers have instructions to give immediate notice to the
Local Authorities, if possible, before any sick person is landed, but the vessel
may not be placed under detention.
Clearly, if detention be necessary in the case of cholera and yellow fever it
is also necessary in the case of any other infectious disease, and power should
be given to the officers of Her Majesty's Customs to detain a vessel until
handed over to the Local Authority, who should also have power to detain as
long as necessary. Practically in nearly all cases it would be possible to take
the necessary precautions without any detention at all, and in those very
exceptional cases where delay might arise from loss of a tide, the advantage
of safety to the public health should certainly override any other consideration.
I would further point out the Quarantine Officers' questions as put to the
masters of vessels on arrival are no real protection against any disease except
cholera, yellow fever, or plague. A flagrant case having been reported to the
Board of Customs, it was stated by their solicitor that it was very doubtful
whether there could be a prosecution, as it is doubtful whether the
" preliminary quarantine questions as to infectious disease can be held to
" apply to esoteric or indigenous disease, and whether even an infectious
" disease other than plague or yellow fever need be mentioned in answer to
" these questions."
On this being reported to your Worshipful Committee, a resolution was
passed urging upon Her Majesty's Customs the advisability of obtaining
power to deal with persons who give intentionally untrue replies to the
quarantine questions.
These revised regulations are not yet finally settled, though there can be
no question that this weak point should be strengthened without further
delay.