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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" 2. All possible means shall be adopted for catching and destroying
" rats during the stay of any vessel in dock. All empty cases and barrels
" shall be examined before being landed to ensure that no rats are
" contained therein. Any rats caught onboard the vessel shall be killed,
" then placed in a bucket of strong disinfecting solution, and afterwards
" burnt in the vessel's furnace. No rats, alive or dead, shall be removed
" from the vessel. For any breach of this Bye-law the master of the vessel
" shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 5l.
'' 3. When the discharge of cargo or the landing or embarking of
passengers is not proceeding, one gangway only shall be permitted to
" afford means of communication between the vessel and the shore.
" The end of the gangway near the vessel shall be whitened for a length
" of 10 feet. For any breach of this Bye-law the master of the vessel
" shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 51.
TABLE VIII.
RETURN OF CERTAIN RATS CAUGHT ALIVE, OR FOUND DEAD, AND HOW
DEALT WITH.
| Date. | No. of Rats. | Where found. | How dealt with. | Result. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910. Oct. 1 | 27 | s.s. " Himalaya," in Tilbury Dock | Burnt in furnace | — |
| „ 30 | s.s. " Persia," in Tilbury Dock | Examined by Dr.Willoughby | Negative. | |
| .1 | Tilbury Dock, shed ... | Do. | Do. | |
| „ 31 | 1 | Branch Seamen's Hospital, fowl run | Examined by Dr. Klein | Infected. |
| 1 | Do. grounds | Examined by Dr. Newham | Negative. | |
| Nov. 2 | 1 | Royal Albert Dock, rubbish on banks | Do. | Infected. |
| „ 3 | 1 | Do. North side of 21 shed | Examined by Dr. Klein | Do. |
| 5 | 1 1 | Do. P. and 0. Co.'s Joiners' shop. Connaught Road station | Examined by Dr. Newham Do. | Negative. Do. |
| 3 | Royal Albert Dock | Dried up—Burnt | — | |
| „ 6 | 5 | Do. 27 shed | Do. | — |
| „ 7 | 4 | Do. 29 shed | Do. | — |
| 1 | Do. Lester and Perkins | Do. | ||
| 2 | Royal Victoria Dock, " B " jetty ... | Examined by Dr. Newham | Negative. | |
| 2 | Royal Albert Dock, s.s. " Waipara" | Do. | Do. | |
| „ 8 | 1 | Do. 29 shed | Do. | Do. |
| 1 | Do. P. & 0. Co.'s Go Down | Do. | Do. | |
| 1 | London Dock, East Smithfield Railway Dept. | Sent to Medical Officer of Health for Stepney | — | |
| „ 9 | 1 | Royal Albert Dock, P. & 0. Co.'s Go Down | Drowned and burnt | — |
| 2 | Do. 24 shed | Dried up—burnt | — | |
| 1 | Do. Atlantic Transport Office | Decomposed—burnt | — | |
| 1 | Do. Great Eastern Railway Office. | Do. | — |