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The fumigation was carried out with hydrogen cyanide (spray method) by
Messrs. Fumigation Services, Ltd., and the vessel was finally put under gas about
10 p.m. The period of exposure given was four hours. The ship took all the next
day to clear and it was not until about 10 a.m., on Wednesday the 7th instant that
discharge of cargo commenced, the stevedores all wearing overalls and gloves.
Large numbers of dead rats were found and a few live ones were seen. In all
about 432 dead rats were taken from the ship after the first fumigation and sent to
the Seamen's Hospital for examination.
Five cases of eggs in the refrigerated chamber were found to be rat damaged and
there was also rat excreta in the chambers. Several empty nests Avere also found and
one live rat seen in this space.
When the holds were empty it was discovered that the ceiling was raised on
battens about 1½ to 2 inches above the tank tops. It was obvious that this space
provided extensive rat-harbourage. Consequently it was decided to lift every third
timber in the ceiling and, while this was being done, a number of dead rats were
found and live rats were also seen.
On completion of the opening up of the harbourage the vessel was again put
under fumigation on the evening of Thursday, 8th July, hydrogen cyanide by the
spray method again being the fumigant. The dose given was 3 ozs. per 1,000 cubic
feet and the exposure four hours. One hundred and three rats were recovered after
this second fumigation, all from the holds. Re-loading of the Hamburg cargo was
commenced at 3.30 p.m. on the 9th July. A Certificate of Deratisation was issued
on the second fumigation.
The London cargo had been discharged largely into lighters, and some into the
dock side sheds. The lighters, 50 in number, were distributed throughout the Port
but were all traced. Forty-three of the lighters were still loaded and were fumigated
with hydrogen cyanide with their cargoes in situ. Seven had discharged their cargoes.
Of these three showed evidence of rat infestation and were fumigated. The
remaining four showed no evidence of rats and were thoroughly cleansed. The Medical
Officers of Health of the districts in which these seven lighters had discharged their
cargoes were notified by telephone of the circumstances. The total number of dead
rats recovered from the lighters after fumigation was three. These were sent to
Seamen's Hospital for examination.
The sheds on the South side of the King George V. Dock were searched on Monday,
5th July, and daily subsequently. All stores were turned over but there was no
evidence of rat infestation. The sheds are transit sheds of a good type. About 120
traps were set in No. 2 and the adjacent sheds. Two rats were caught in the middle
of No. 2 Shed and it seems probable that they had landed from the ship. One
rat was caught in an adjacent shed. These were submitted for bacteriological
examination but were negative for plague.
The names and addresses of all the stevedores and of the employees of the Shipping
Company and of the Port of London Authority working on the ship or on the adjacent
quays were obtained and forwarded to the Medical Officers of Health of the men's
home districts with a short note of the circumstances.
Owing to the degree of decomposition of the two rats which gave a macroscopic
and microscopic appearance of plague, it was not found possible to confirm the
diagnosis by culture and animal inoculation, and of the other rats, five hundred
and ninety-five in all, submitted for examination by the bacteriologist, none were
reported to be infected.
ENTERIC FEVER.
ss. "Strathaird."—The ss. "Strathaird" arrived at Gravesend on the
15th October, 1937, having called at the following ports:—
Outwards—Tangier, Gibraltar, Marseilles, Port Said, Port Sudan, Aden,
Bombay, Colombo, Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.