View report page

22
When the vessel arrives at Gravesend it is boarded by the Boarding Medical
Officer and members of the clerical staff.
The passengers and crew having already been mustered the Medical Officer
proceeds with his medical examination.
As it is essential that every person on board is seen by the Medical Officer the
opportunity is taken to interrogate such persons and ask them whether the address
given on the top half of the above card is the actual address to which they are
proceeding immediately on disembarkation.
This portion of the card is retained by the clerk and the address given on it
is checked with the address given on the list supplied by the shipping company, any
alteration being rectified on the spot.
At the same time it is pointed out that should they change their residence during
the incubation period of the disease, such change should be notified by filling in and
forwarding the bottom half of the postcard. This half of the postcard is printed on
the reverse as follows:—
no postage
stamp
postage necessary if
will be posted in
paid by great britain
addressee. or
northern
ireland.
Business Reply Card.
licence no. 5341.
THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH,
PORT OF LONDON,
5, CHURCH PASSAGE,
GUILDHALL,
LONDON,
E.C.2.
This is by arrangement with H.M. Post Office and is an incentive to the individuals
to notify any change of their address, as it does not require stamping.
It is usually arranged that passengers, after passing their medical inspection and
the above-mentioned interrogation, are passed on to the Immigration Officers who see
and stamp everybody's passport.
This is a very satisfactory arrangement as it enables the Port Health Officers
and the Immigration Officers to compare their respective lists and forms a double
check that every person on board has been seen. Even the address of the Pilot is
taken as a precautionary measure. It is then, and then only, that the ship is granted
pratique and disembarkation commenced.
Next commences the task of notifying the Medical Officers of Health of the districts
to which the passengers and those members of the European crew who are leaving
the ship are proceeding.
It is first necessary to scrutinise each card collected from the passengers and crew
and to ascertain the name of the local Authority in which the address given on the
card is situated.
This is an easy matter when the person is proceeding to a large town, but when
the address is an out of the way village it is necessary to make reference to a Stationery
Office Publication entitled "Index of Names and Places" arranged alphabetically
and giving the Borough, Urban District or Rural District in which the place is situated.