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 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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TABLE H.
Deratisation Certificates and Deratisation Exemption Certificates issued during the Year.
| NET TONNAGE. | Number of Ships. | Number of Deratisation Certificates Issued. | Number of Deratisation Exemption Certificates issued. | Total Certificates issued. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| After Fumigation with. | After Trapping, Poisoning, &c. | Total. | ||||||
| HCN. | Sulphur. | HCN. and Sulphur. | ||||||
| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. |
| Ships up to 300 tons | 197 | — | — | — | — | — | 197 | 197 |
| „ from 301 ,, to 1,000 tons | 284 | 5 | — | — | — | 5 | 279 | 284 |
| „ „ 1,001 „ „ 3,000 „ | 216 | 12 | 22 | — | 1 | 35 | 181 | 216 |
| „ „ 3,001 „ „ 10,000 „ | 343 | 41 | 53 | — | 3 | 97 | 246 | 343 |
| „ over 10,000 ,, | 45 | 23 | — | — | — | 23 | 22 | 45 |
| Totals | 1,085 | 81 | 75 | — | 4 | 160 | 925 | 1,085 |
VI.—HYGIENE OF CREWS' SPACES. TABLE J.—Classification of Nuisances.
| Nationality of Vessel. | Number inspected during the year. | Defects of original construction. | Structural defects through wear and tear. | Dirt, Vermin and other conditions prejudicial to health. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British | 8,556 | 36 | 347 | 1,513 |
The standard of living accommodation for the crews in British ships varies
widely. In some it is excellent, in others it is deplorable, and between these extremes
there are many ships in Which the crew's quarters may be regarded as tolerably good,
provided that there is discipline on board; that the officers take an interest in their
crew; that defects due to wear and tear are promptly remedied, and that the crew
are prepared to keep their accommodation clean and tidy.
The Association of Port Sanitary Authorities have for many years pressed for a
greater minimum cubic space per man, better ventilation, lighting and heating,
separate mess rooms and better provision for washing, for the drying and storage of
clothes and for the storage of food. The Manning Committee of the Shipping
Federation have made recommendations which are substantially in agreement with
those of the Association of Port Sanitary Authorities.
Depression, unfortunately, still continues in the Shipping Industry, and there is
no money available for reconstruction of crew quarters in existing ships; but it
certainly appears that in new ships it is not greater expenditure on crew accommodation
that is required, but rather interest, imagination and appreciation of modern
standards of hygiene, comfort and convenience on the part of the designers and
builders of ships.
It is true that in the maintenance of sanitary conditions on board ship depends
a great deal on the officers and the crew, but if the accommodation is ill-designed,
uncomfortable and inconvenient, they are disheartened and discontented.
The following report is made by two of your Sanitary Inspectors, both of whom
are Master Mariners who have, within the last three years, left the Merchant Service
to take up Port Health work. Their criticisms of the conditions they have observed
in certain classes of ships, and particularly of the absence of discipline and lack of
interest on the part of officers, are not made without careful consideration and full
justification.