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8
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
The Medical Inspection carried out at Gravesend, in conjunction with His
Majesty's Customs, has resulted in 5,380 vessels being visited by your Boarding
Medical Officers, 604 of which were medically inspected, this involving the
personal examination of 38,486 persons, 5,582 of whom were passengers.
On the resignation of your late Medical Officer, consequent on his appointment
as Medical Officer of Health to the City of London, Dr. Herbert Williams
was appointed to the post of Medical Officer of Health for the Port of London.
The positions of Senior Medical Boarding Officer and Medical Officer to the
Hospital became vacant; the former post, by Resolution of your Honourable
Committee, was abolished, placing each Medical Boarding Officer on the same
footing, and Messrs. Hancock and Warren were appointed jointly Medical
Officers of the Hospital, as a temporary measure, under the supervision of
your Medical Officer, for a term of six months.
W. G. Willoughby, B.A., M.B.Cantab., was temporarily appointed as
Medical Boarding Officer to fill the vacancy.
With reference to vessels detained by your Medical Officers at Gravesend
for the purpose of disinfection, &c., it has been pointed out that owing to the
rapid shoaling on the south side of the River below Gravesend, it is unsafe for
large vessels to anchor there when there is any probability of their swinging
to the southward. The Thames Conservancy and representatives of the
leading Steamship Companies of this Port were approached on the subject of
placing a buoy in the lower end of Gravesend Reach for the convenience of
such vessels. The Thames Conservancy offered to place such a buoy for the
convenience of the shipowners, and after due consideration this offer has been
accepted. A Notice has been issued by the Thames Conservancy, of which I
append a copy.
The placing of this buoy is solely in the interests of shipowners, and
involves no expense to the Port Sanitary Authority.
THAMES CONSERVANCY.
NOTICE TO PERSONS IN CHARGE OF VESSELS.
Notice is hereby given that vessels required by the Port of London
Sanitarv Authoritv to be disinfected are to lie at the lower buoy in Gravesend
Reach, and Masters and Pilots are requested to moor quarantine vessels
accordingly.
By Order,
Thames Conservancy Office, R. PHILIPSON,
Victoria Embankment, E.C., Secretary.
2nd December, 1901.