London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
This page requires JavaScript
43
TABLE XXXII.
In connection with Form C, the following procedure, in the Port of London,
supplies the data:—
All vessels from foreign ports are visited by a Medical Officer. The questions
put by the Customs Officer and the answers made by the Master are heard by him
and all cases of reported sickness during the voyage examined or enquired into.
Ships from ports in the Eastern Hemisphere, south of latitude 45° N. (except
European ports west of longitude 20° E.) and ships from ports in the Western Hemisphere
south of latitude 30° N., are considered as from "infected ports" and are
boarded and examined whatever the report. Ports or rather coastlines containing
ports are added or exempted according to reports of the movement of infection.
Medical examination under this system, whether in spite of a negative or
because of a positive report of illness, has from time to time led to the detection of
serious conditions of infection.
On proceeding, these ships come again under scrutiny by a Sanitary Inspector
while in dock, special attention being given to those on which there has been
suspicious circumstance during the voyage.
PRECAUTION AGAINST PLAGUE. -Form C.
Particulars Relating to Vessels "Infected" or "Suspected," or from Infected Ports.
| No. of Vessels. | Date of Arrival. | Whether infected, suspected or from an infected port. | Methods of Rat Destruction employed. | No. of rats killed. | Whether a certificate of deratisation was issued. | Remarks. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fumigation by sulphur dioxide. | Fumigation by hydrocyanic acid. | Trapping, poisoning, &c. | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 1,110 | 1st Jan. to 31st Dec., 1925. | From Infected Ports. | Nil. | Nil. | Traps and Poison, Traps, Rat-catchers. | 5,177 | Nil. | The full Table is prepared, but is not printed herewith. |
TABLE XXXIII.—F orm D.
VESSELS (other than those dealt with in Form C), subjected to measures of Rat Destruction
| Number of Vessels Fa migated by S02 | Number of Rats killed. | Number of Vessels Fumigated by HCN. | Number of Rats killed. | Number of Vessels on which trapping, poisoning, &c., were employed. | Number of Rats killed. | Number of Fumigation Certificates issued on Form "Port 10." | Number of other Certificates issued. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | 2,477 | 18 | 646 | 48 (See Table XXIX.) | - | 55 | 40 |
TABLE XXXIV.—H ospital.
Number of Cases Admitted, Cost of Maintenance, &c.
| Patients remaining in Hospital on 31st December, 1924 | 2 | |||
| Admitted. | Discharged. | Died. | Remaining under treatment. | |
| Diphtheria | 4 | 4 | - | - |
| Enteric Fever | 6 | 6 | - | - |
| Smallpox | 3 | 2 | 11 | - |
| Influenza | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| Measles | 9 | 7 | - | 2 |
| Adenitis | 1 | 1 | - | — |
| Diarrhœa (Cholera contacts) | 23 | 23 | - | — |
| Mumps | 2 | 2 | - | |
| Malaria | 1 | 1 | - | — |
| Scarlet Fever | 17 | 13 | - | 4 |
| Chickenpox | 7 | 7 | — | — |
| Total | 75 | 68 | 1 | 6 |
Remaining in Hospital on 31st December, 1925 6
Total number of days' treatment during the year 1,117
Average number of days' treatment for each case 14.89
Average daily number of patients in Hospital 20
Average daily cost of maintenance per patient 1 /4½
Average total annual cost of maintenance per patient £1 .l.2½
* Smallpox in an unvaccinated person.
F