London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Port of London 1910
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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In 1908, Plague broke out amongst the rats in the West India Dock which
lasted from August 19th to September 26th.
The bodies of rats which had died from Plague were found in different
parts of one of the quays which was over 900 yards long.
It was practically confined to rats inhabiting the basement of the warehouses,
the floors containing numerous rat holes and runs.
On November 11th, 1909, seven dead rats were found underneath some
pieces of wood in a warehouse in the South-West India Dock.
They were more or less decomposed, but one which had apparently only
been dead a few days was examined by Professor Klein, and found to have
died from Plague.
A thorough search of the warehouses in the dock was made, but no other
dead rats were found.
TABLE VII. ( Plague.)
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry and Official Number. | Where from. | Number of Cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910. Aug. 5 Oct. 5 „ 6 „ 15 „ 21 Nov. 11 | s.s. "North Wales," of Newcastle, 122,825. s.s. " Oceana," of Belfast,93170 s.s. " Himalaya," of Greenock, 99,776. s.s. '' Persia," of Greenock, 109,258. Port Sanitary Hospital, Graves-end. s.s. " Craftsman," of Liverpool, 106,865. | Karachi Bombay Do. Do. Calcutta Total | 1 1 1 1 1 1 | Removed to Hospital at Malta. Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. Removed to Branch Seamen's Hospital, Royal Albert Dock. Kept on board under observation. Treated in Port Sanitary Hospital. Removed to Hospital at Suez. |
| 6 |
The s.s. "Himalaya," of Greenock, 99,776, left Bombay on August 27th
last, and arrived at Tilbury on September 18th.
During the voyage there were several cases of Malaria Fever, and one death
occurred in a member of the Native crew, who was taken ill on September 9th,
and, as certified by the ship's surgeon, died on the 12th, of Cardiac Syncope
following malignant Malaria, and was buried at sea between Marseilles and
Gibraltar.
The vessel left London for Bombay on October 5th. Before sailing, a
member of the Native crew, who had been ailing for a week with symptoms
of Bronchitis, was sent on shore to do temporary duty in the shore office.