View report page

26
"instructions have been given to your Inspectors to make careful
"enquiries in every case as to the presence of deceased persons' effects
"on board.
"Your Worshipful Committee, at my suggestion, sent a communica"tion
to the War Office Authorities pointing out this possible danger,
"and urging that no effects from deceased persons should be allowed
"to leave South Africa until they had been thoroughly disinfected."
Had the representation of your Worshipful Committee received the careful
consideration of the War Office Authorities, it is probable that this outbreak
of Enteric Fever, and a great menace to the health of the country, would not
have occurred.
In all, seven of the boys from the training ship "Cornwall" were treated
in the Port Sanitary Hospital. This was done at the request of the ship's
authorities, and the expense of maintenance and treatment were borne by them.
The Relation of Outbreaks of Enteric Fever to the Consumption of
Shellfish Polluted with Sewage.
This question has formed the subject of important discussions during the
past year, with the result that in all probability legislation will, in the near
future, be extended with a view to the protection of the public health from the
danger arising out of the deposit or storage of edible shellfish in sewagepolluted
waters.
A prominent part in the investigation of the question has been taken by
your Worshipful Committee, for the Port of London Sanitary Authority has
within its jurisdiction a number of important shellfish layings and fisheries.
These may be enumerated as follows:—
On the Essex shore—
Leigh Creek Cockles.
Hadleigh Ray Oysters, Mussels, Periwinkles.
River Roach Oysters.
Maplin Sands Cockles.
On the Kent shore—
The Swale Oysters.
Blythe Sands Cockles.
At the beginning of the year I received from the Medical Officer of Health
for Wandsworth, through the Medical Officer of Health for the City of London,
information that several cases of Enteric Fever which had occurred within his
district were, in his opinion, traceable to the consumption of cockles from
Leigh in Essex.