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ROLL, Mayor.
A Common Council holden in the Chamber of
the Guildhall of the City of London, on
Thursday, the 16th day of December, 1020.
THE Port of London Sanitary Committee did this day deliver into this
Court a Report in writing under their hands, of their proceedings, and
submitting the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health of the
Port to the 31st December, 1919 ; which was read.
Ordered, That the Report be printed, and a copy sent to every
Member of this Court.
BELL.
To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commons
of the City of London, in Common Council assembled.
We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, of your Port of London Sanitary
Committee, to whom it has been referred to carry into execution the powers
assigned to the Corporation, as the Port Sanitary Authority of the Port of London,
beg to submit for the information of your Honourable Court the Annual Report of
Dr. Willoughby Mason Willoughby, the Medical Officer of Health of the Port of
London, for the year ended the 31st December, 1919, which Report contains a full and
detailed account of the work done in the Port during that period by the Medical
Officers and Inspectors.
The work of your Medical Officers has been effectively carried out.
The number of cases of dangerous infectious diseases entering the Port was again
small, but of serious character.
Plague was dealt with on three vessels, two of which were technically "Infected"
and one was "suspected." The detection of Plague by members of the medical staff
and prompt dealing with the ships infected is highly praiseworthy. In neither of the
three ships was Plague suspected until on entry into the Port.
The opportunity afforded of comparing the conditions on the seven Plague ships
dealt with in 1917, 1918 and 1919 has shown a definite course of the malady on
shipboard when rat infection is the cause of human cases.