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It is therefore proposed to amend the Bye-law so as to compel every vessel
arriving in the Port of London, and having on board a person suffering from
a dangerous infectious disorder, whether bound for any place within the
jurisdiction of the Port of London Sanitary Authority below Gravesend,
or to any place within the jurisdiction of the Port of Rochester Sanitary
Authority, to proceed to Gravesend, stop off the Custom House there, and
forthwith send notice to the Medical Officer of the Port Sanitary Authority
stationed at Gravesend.
If the Master of any vessel, whether from foreign or coastwise, and bound
for a place either in the Port of Rochester or in the Port of London below
Gravesend, has on board any sick person, the nature of whose illness he is
uncertain, he should proceed to Garrison Point, Sheerness, where the disease
will be diagnosed by the Medical Officer of this Authority stationed there,
and thus he will relieve himself of all responsibility.
This Bye-law also requires amending so as to make provision for keeping
in the hospital of the Port Sanitary Authority, so long as may be necessary,
any person brought within their district by any vessel, who is infected with a
dangerous infectious disorder.
The hospital for infectious diseases is situated at Denton, below Gravesend,
and within the jurisdiction of the Rural District Council of Strood.
If there should be any difficulty as to making or amending Bye-laws under
the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, so as to apply them to the aforesaid
district, this may possibly be met by placing the hospital and grounds within
the jurisdiction of the Port of London Sanitary Authority for the purpose of
the Act.
CREW SPACES.
I have continued to devote particular attention to the inspection of crew's
quarters on board vessels, more particularly with a view to obtaining some
improvement in the lighting, heating and ventilation of the same.
I regret to say that there is little or no improvement, and it is a common
experience to find that little attention appears to be paid to these important
details, not only in old vessels, but in those of recent construction.
The ventilation is nearly always insufficient, and frequently non-existent.
The commonly accepted necessary amount for an adult person is 3,000
cubic feet of fresh air per hour. In order to obtain this, in the case of most
ordinary forecastles, it would be necessary to change entirely the whole of the