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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27
5. Saving and Remittance, Wages.
6. Information of Seamen, measures to provide for the dissemination of information of importance
and interest to seamen.
7. Financial Organisation, drawing the attention of Governments to certain possibilities with
regard to financial organisation.
Each of these sections was introduced by a separate speaker, and the recommendations
were then discussed. The Joint National Committee on Port Welfare had
already given careful consideration to the draft recommendations and had suggested
a number of amendments. The British delegates had little difficulty in securing
general agreement with these amendments.
The recommendations of the Voluntary Conference were transmitted to the
Twenty-first (Maritime) Session of the International Labour Conference, and were
very carefully considered during the next fortnight. Captain Richardson remained
at Geneva to attend the meetings and to explain points in connection with the
recommendations. He informs me that during the Committee stages, in addition
to the 18 amendments put forward by the International Voluntary Conference, seven
were put forward by the Employers' groups jointly, one by the Indian Workers' group,
three by the British Government, six by the Indian Government, two by the Japanese
Government and two by the Chinese Government. Agreement was reached on all
the questions, and in the final vote at the Plenary Session there were 88 delegates
in favour of the proposals and none against them.
I understand that in the official report of the proceedings special reference was
made to the lucid explanations of experience in the field of Port Welfare gained by
the London Port Welfare Advisory Council.
Your Worshipful Committee will be interested to know that "A Seaman's Guide
to London" has already been published by the London Port Welfare Advisory Council,
and is being issued free to visiting seamen. An experimental Enquiry Bureau has,
with the assistance of the British Sailors' Society, been established at the Royal
Albert Docks, and is proving far more useful and popular than was anticipated.
I do not think that it can yet be said that the London Port Welfare Committee
is firmly established, but it has survived the difficulties attending its birth, it is growing in
strength and weight and, as a result of the International Conference, it may reasonably
be hoped that the Government will, in due course, contribute to its support and maintenance.
So far the only nourishment it has had is £500 very generously contributed
by the Corporation of the City of London. Its needs are small but, though ultimately
there is little doubt that it will receive grants from various organisations who will
awake to their responsibilities to the growing child, there appears to be a difficult
period ahead when there will be a real danger of it dying from starvation. Its sponsors
have more or less promised that it shall not beg in the same streets as the Missions to
Seamen, so that it does not know where to turn for help until it is generally recognised
as a national asset.
VII.—FOOD INSPECTION.
Caseous Lymphadenitis.—During the year the proportion of carcases of imported
mutton examined for Caseous Lymphadenitis, irrespective of the country of origin,
remained at 5 per cent., and that for pieces of mutton at 100 per cent.

The results of the examination during the year of mutton and lamb, weight 43 lbs. and over, from Australia, New Zealand and South America, were as follows:—

Where from.Carcases examined.Carcases found to be diseased.Carcases found to have Lymphatic Glands missing.
Australia1,2983
New Zealand5,81110
South America1,9539
Totals9,06222

Percentage condemned
From Australia 0.23
„ New Zealand 0.17
South America 0.46