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The number of vessels medically inspected at Gravesend is higher than usual,
showing that additional work has devolved upon your Medical Officers, the reduction in
the number of these being largely here met by the practical suspension o£ Medway
inspections.
With reference to Infectious Disease, there is little to report as to Cholera, Yellow
Fever and Plague, though with regard to the latter, the customary precautions by way
of destruction and bacteriological examination of rats, fumigation of vessels, &c., have
continued throughout the year.
Small-pox is given some notice in special relation to a group of cases admitted to
the Denton Hospital.
Other Infectious Diseases do not call for special mention, except perhaps Pulmonary
Tuberculosis, for the reason that though the Port Sanitary Authority is not specifically
included in the provisions of the Regulations, yet cases are dealt with on arrival as if
the Regulations were applicable, i.e., the notification to the Medical Officer of Health
concerned is carried out.
The Shell Fish Regulations of the Local Government Board impose important
duties on the Port Sanitary Authority in reference to the control of shell-fish layings
both public and private.
Food Inspection has been carried out in a satisfactory manner. During the
summer your Officers were called upon to deal with a very large quantity of unsound
meat from a damaged steamer—the condition of most of the meat being offensive.
With the co-operation of the parties interested, the material was disposed of without
serious nuisance arising.
No legal proceedings were necessary during the year. The appearance of abnormal
conditions in relation to food stuffs, or diseases in meat, has not been marked by any
cases of importance.
The duties in relation to Sanitary Inspection and Canal Boats have been carefully
carried out, and have resulted in the abatement of numerous nuisances both on vessels
and on premises within the docks, &c.
The fumigating apparatus has been frequently in use, the total tonnage fumigated
being approximately 37,500 tons.
Attention is called to the condition of the boarding hulk "Hygeia," which was the
cause, during the summer, of serious inconvenience and expense. The hulk is old, and
of wood, and therefore likely at any time to become leaky. (During a recent gale the
straining at the moorings appears to have caused a considerable inlet of water, but the
hulk has re-tightened completely.)