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15
"Oceana," and "Persia," in the past and, more recently, of the ships "Sardinia,"
"Matiana," "Somali," and "Hector," it appears possible that the human incidence following
on Rat Plague can be delayed over long periods on a ship. Infection of certain rat communities
on board, or the driving of infected rats into the living quarters on a ship would be likely to
take place on disturbance of the cargo; such was the theory with regard to s.s. "Sardinia"
and s.s. "Matiana." These ships, with the s.s. "Somali" and "Hector," had long voyages.
The post-war quick voyage might in some cases not allow of the development suggested, prior
to arrival; but only on some disturbance in the hold such as cargo discharge occasions, would
the hold rats seeks temporary refuge in the crew's quarters or in food store rooms, thus carrying
the infection of human beings on board.
The unloading at the port at which the voyage ends is not the end of any rat infection
on board, and may well be the beginning of the human infection.
This theory, which your Medical Officer considers tenable both from the point of view
of etiology of the disease and from his observations on infected ships and rats in the port,
suggests :
I. That rat mortality should be a matter for declaration by those in authority on the ship,
under penalties.
I am certain that rat mortality on ships has been cloaked in the past, and that questioning
is not sufficient. The officer questioned may not know, or may even consider it his duty not to
know, of a mortality at the time of questioning on the subject.
II. That at present a routine disinfestation of ships from the East, and particularly
Bombay, is a necessity.
Your Medical Officer has requested this disinfestation of both the Peninsular and Oriental
and British India Companies whenever their ships on the Eastern run have not been disinfested
within six months, and it will be specially urged if Bombay be a port of loading or of call.
Other companies will need to conform to this procedure.
There is a Rat Destruction Bill at the present time before Parliament. The Bill embodies
the powers conveyed to Port Sanitary Authorities in the Rat Order, 1918, and Amending Order,
1919, of the Ministry of Food, and would make these permanent if it became law. The matter
of rats in ports and on ships is definitely one of health over and above food destruction.
Your Medical Officer has therefore, after consultation with the Chairman of your
Worshipful Committee, communicated the matter of this Report to the Ministry of Health.
I have the hononr to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
W. M. WILLOUGHBY,
Medical Officer of Health,
Port of London.
The further light thrown on these cases by the arrival of the s.s. "Nagoya" later
in the year is shown in the full report on this vessel.
Routine disinfestation of ships was subsequently found to be difficult. Unless
definite signs of rattiness be found on board a ship the reasonableness of such disinfestation
is not sufficiently apparent.
In connection with the disinfection of Plague ships at Gravesend, a question arose
through the Sanitary Committee of the Gravesend Corporation in communication with
the Local Government Board, as to the location of ships on the "Quarantine" grounds
during the process of discharge and fumigation.
A conference was arranged b.etween the Local Government Board Inspector and
a deputation of the Sanitary Committee of the Gravesend Corporation, on the afternoon
of the 19th March, 1919. Your Medical Officer was invited by the Local Government
Board Inspector to be present at the proceedings.
The Gravesend Authority was reassured by the statement of the Local Government
Board Inspector, on this question of risk of infection during the discharge of cargo
and rat disinfestation, that proximity of the ship to the town, rather than mooring the
ship far down the river was more satisfactory, both in the technical matter of discharge
of cargo and in the sanitary supervision which the Port Sanitary Authority exercises
over these ships.
On request, your Medical Officer added to the assurance which had been already
expressed by the Local Government Board Inspector, that everything was being done
to safeguard the health, not only of Gravesend, but the country at large, and that
the minutest precautionary detail was carefully thought out and arranged to that end.
The deputation to the Sanitary Committee of the Gravesend Corporation expressed its
full satisfaction with the explanation afforded.