London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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City of London 1936

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]

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TABLE G.

Measures of Rat Destruction on Plague "Infected" or "Suspected" Vessels or Vessels from Plague Infected Ports arriving in the Port during the Year.

Total Number of suchVessels arriving.Number of such Vessels fumigated by so2.Number of Rats Killed.Number of such Vessels fumigated by HCN.Number of Rats Killed.Number of such Vessels on which Trapping, Poisoning, &c., were employed.Number of Rats Killed.Number of such Vessels on which measures of Rat Destruction were not carried out.
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.
2,41746916 (41 mice.)72879 (34 mice.)1,0382,2941,379

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 withAfter Trapping, Poisoning, &c.Total.
HCN.Sulphur.HCN. and Sulphur.
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.
Ships up to 300 tons226226226
„ from 301 „ to 1,000 tons316l34312316
„ „ 1,001 „ „ 3,000 „2181218232186218
„ „ 3,001 „ „ 10,000 „3584932283275358
„ over 10,000 „4418182644
Totals1,162805341371,0251,162

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.
British9,6031051,2221,742

The hygiene of crew spaces in ships, is, at the present time, receiving the
close attention of the Board of Trade and of Shipowners. It is understood that the
Board of Trade "Instructions as to the Survey of Master's and Crew's Spaces" are
undergoing revision and already much improved accommodation is being provided
in new ships, but until the new instructions are actually issued we shall not know
whether they embody all the recommendations of the Association of Port Sanitary
Authorities and of the Manning Committee of the Shipping Federation, nor shall we
know whether the new standards will be applied as far as practicable to the crew's
quarters in existing ships. This is therefore not the time to repeat the criticisms
which have been so often made in the past nor to jump to the conclusion that the
improved conditions recently observed will in future be the rule in new ships; but
meanwhile attention may be drawn to other factors which affect the health of seamen.
Adequate nutrition is probably the most important single factor in the maintenance
of health and in this connection Mr. Beattie, your Inspector on the Middle River
District, has submitted a report on "Conditions Prevailing in Coasting Vessels."
Mr. Beattie points out that the crews of these ships ration themselves, and that this
individual messing is unsatisfactory and uneconomical. The men do not lay out their
money to the best advantage dietetically and in some, perhaps many cases, they
tend to economise on their own food in order to make better provision for their families.
For the latter reason and also because freedom to make even an unwise choice is
regarded as a privilege, a change to collective messing would perhaps not be universally
popular, but provided the food supplied comprised all that was required for adequate
nutrition and was properly cooked, the men's health would undoubtedly benefit.