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place. Evidence of the presence of rats should be sought, and every
possible means adopted for their capture and destruction.
8. On arrival at any port in the United Kingdom all hands should be
medically inspected. If any suspects are found they must be removed
and the vessel disinfected. Subsequent observation should be directed,
especially when unloading, to the presence of sick or dead rats.
It is now widely recognised that Plague is a disease of rats and other rodents,
communicable to man. It therefore follows that if all these rodents could be
exterminated, the only risk remaining would be from the importation of cases
from abroad.
I give below an extract from the proceedings of the Intercolonial Plague
Conference at Melbourne in April 1900, which illustrates the thorough manner
in which this question has been dealt with by the Commonwealth of Australia:—
Ship-berthing regulations which had been in operation at Melbourne and
Sydney, and which were adopted at the Intercolonial Plague
Conference held at Melbourne in April, 1900.
The following Ship-berthing regulations, or similar ones, are to be enforced
by each Government:—
Conditions to be observed by all Vessels, whether Steamboats
or Sailing Ships.
Bond between the Owner or Agent or Master of * * * * with
the * * * * Government.
I hereby agree to observe the following conditions relative to the vessel
* * * * if allowed to proceed to her berth at the * * * *
and to take her back into the Bay at once, on directions being given to that
effect by any person authorised thereto, in the event of any of the conditions
being contravened, the conditions being—
1. To keep the vessel off from the wharf or pier by a distance of at
least four feet by means of fenders, and to prevent listing towards wharf
or pier.
2. To apply and keep applied to each end of every hawser and rope
connecting the vessel with the wharf or pier, tar kept constantly in a
sticky condition (by repeated applications), and either a thick brush
of metal bristles, or a funnel, or a stout metal disc at least twelve inches
in diameter, and so constructed and so placed as to prevent transit of rats,
the application of tar being made just beyond the side of the vessel and just
above the end attached to the wharf or pier, the tar being applied over a
length of at least one foot at each end of each hawser and rope, and the