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
City of London 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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27
(d) A supply of drinking water of quality above suspicion at the disposal ol the
port, and a system as effective as possible for the removal of excrement, refuse
and sewage.
(e) A competent and adequate staff and necessary equipment for the deratisation
of ships, shipyards, docks and warehouses.
(f) A permanent organisation for the trapping and examination of rodents.
It is also recommended that warehouses and docks should, as far as possible, be
rat.proof.
(15) Each country undertakes to have a single sanitary tariff only, which shall be
published, the charges of which shall be moderate and shall be applied to all ships without,
flag distinction.
Note.—The Convention regulates in detail the sanitary measures which may be
applied in relation to the more dangerous infectious diseases, and is of much wider
scope than is indicated by the above extracts, which are brought to the notice of the
Committee because they are new provisions or are of special interest. You have
already sanctioned the appointment of three rat.searchers to inspect ships as to their
degree of rat infestation, under Article 28. It may be necessary at a later date to
increase this number in order to be able to cope with the additional work without
delay or inconvenience to the trade of the Port. Expenditure on this service should
be covered by the fees chargeable for certificates of Deratisation or Exemption from
Deratisation. You will note the increased attention given in the Convention to
measures of rat.destruction, rat.proofing and the bacteriological examination of rats
for Plague.
The Port of London Sanitary Authority have for many years realised that Plague
prevention is a matter of rat.extermination, and have acted accordingly, but it may
be necessary to make certain adjustments in regard to administrative details which
were, I believe, foreshadowed by your former Medical Officer.
In general, it may be said that the practice of the Port of London Sanitary
Authority is, and has for some years been, in accordance with the principles set forth
in the new International Sanitary Convention.
ALIENS ORDER, 1920.
Medical Inspection of Aliens.
The arrival of aliens in the Port of London is fairly constant„ the principal
sources being:—
From Dunkirk 1 vessel daily.
„ Rotterdam 1 „ „
„ Ostend and Antwerp Exceeding 1 daily.
„ Gothenburg 2 vessels weekly.
„ Russia and Danzig Free State 2 „ „
„ Other ports Several weekly.
MEDICAL INSPECTION OF ALIENS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1928.
| Total number of Aliens arriving at the Port, including those in transit and transmigrants excluding Alien Seamen. | No. of temporary visitors, i.e., Aliens whose stay in this country will not exceed 3 months. | No. of Aliens who intend to settle permanently or remain in this country for more than 3 months. | Aliens in Transit. | Transmigrants. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | ||||||||
| Total Number, | No. subjected to Medical Inspection.* | Total Number. | Number subjected to Medical Examination, † | Number of Certificates issued. | Total Number. | Number subjected to Medical Examina. tion.† | Number of Certificates issued. | Total Number. | Number subjected to Medical Examination, † | Number of Certificates issued. | Total Number. | Number subjected to Medical Examination.† |
| 48,096 | 44,181 | 16,766 | 339 | 3 | 3,741 | 3,741 | 5 | 2,535 | 768 | 15 | 25,054 | 25,054 |
*The term “Inspection“ relates to the preliminary inspection of Aliens as they pass before the Medical Inspector.
| The term “Medical Examination“ relates to detailed Medical Examination.