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 1914
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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15
CHOLERA.
This disease was prevalent in several towns in Galicia, and also occurred in Vienna
amongst the troops who had returned there after fighting in that locality.
Cases were even reported to have occurred in Belgium, but there is no definite
confirmation of this.
It is, however, known that Austrian troops have been fighting in the Western area
of the War, and it is not improbable that the organisms of this disease may have been
thus introduced into that region. If this be so, cases of Cholera may occur in the
course of the Summer of 1915, and a careful watch must be kept so as to isolate the
first suspected cases and so minimise the risk of this disease spreading, and the possibility
of cases occurring amongst the troops and other persons returning to this country, who
will have to be carefully watched, and it may mean the bacteriological examination of
the excreta of a number of persons. This question has been considered, and in case of
necessity arrangements for doing the work can be put in force, so as to minimize the
detention and inconvenience to persons arriving on vessels in the Port of London.
TABLE IX.
Plague.
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry and Official No, | Where from. | No. of Cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914. Mar. 13 | s.s. "Caledonia," of Greenock, 102,390. | Bombay | 1 | Removal to hospital at Suez. |
| June 5 | s.s. "Persia," of Greenock, 109,258. | Ditto | 1 (?) | Removal to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| Nov. 14 | s.s. "Kilchattan," of Glasgow, 121,285. | Ditto | 1 (?) | Removed to hospital at Bristol. |
| Dec. 2 | s.s. "Malakand," of Liverpool, 120,907. | Calcutta | 1 (?) | Landed at Suez. |
| Total - | 4 |
PLAGUE.
This disease continues to be endemic in many countries of the world, and the
precautions required by the Local Government Board Order of the 9th September,
1907, have been carried out.
2,716 rats have been bacteriologically examined during the year, and I am pleased
to say that no evidence of Plague has been found in any one of them.
The destruction of rats in the Docks continues, but the Dock Authorities still
remain indifferent to the necessity of rendering rat-proof those shore buildings in which
food stuffs are stored.