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10
5, Church Passage,
Guildhall, E.C. 2,
January, 1989.
TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE PORT OF LONDON HEALTH COMMITTEE.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit this my first Annual Report as Medical Officer
of Health of the Port of London.
Dr. C. F. White relinquished his duties as Acting Medical Officer of Health of the
Port on 81st August.
The tonnage of vessels entering the Port of London during 1938 showed a decrease
of 472,545 tons as compared with 1937, the total being 30,776,918 tons. Fourteen
thousand, one hundred and forty-two vessels arrived from foreign ports, and of
these 2,236 were boarded and inspected by your Medical Officers.
Infectious disease was reported as having occurred during the voyage on 229
vessels, the total number of cases being 443, of which 205 were landed in the Port.
In the Training Ships moored in the River there occurred 11 cases of Scarlet Fever,
one case of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, five cases of Diphtheria and one case of German
Measles.
One case of Measles occurred on a houseboat moored in the district, and one case
of Pneumonia occurred in a residence within the dock area.
One hundred and ninety-nine cases, particulars of which are given in Appendix II,
were admitted to your Hospital at Denton.
No case of human Plague occurred during the year on any vessel bound for
London.
Of the 2,374 rats examined bacteriologically, 961 were from ships and 1,413 were
from shore premises. No rats were reported to be infected with Plague.
One case of Smallpox arrived on a vessel from Bombay and was landed to your
Hospital at Denton. Full particulars of this case are recorded on pages 16 and 17.
The Parrots (Prohibition of Import) Regulations, 1930, continued in operation,
and the work done thereunder is reported on page 46.
Your Sanitary Inspectors made 13,924 inspections of vessels, and 5,288 inspections
of shore premises. Six thousand two hundred and sixty-two defects were reported
in 2,611 vessels, in 1,960 of which the defects were remedied. Five hundred and
ninety-two nuisances were reported in 588 shore premises, in 587 of which the nuisances
were abated.
The number of vessels fumigated for rat destruction under the supervision of
your Inspectors was 126; 92 by hydrogen cyanide and 34 by sulphur dioxide. By the
former method 802 rats and 249 mice, and by the latter 408 rats, were destroyed.
Of the 126 vessels fumigated for the destruction of rodents, 79 produced a negative
result. The remaining 47 vessels fumigated accounted for the destruction of 1,210
rats and 249 mice.
In addition 3,523 rats were trapped in ships and 4,714 on shore in the Port.
Intimation notices were served in respect of four cases of infringement of the
Bye-laws relating to Offensive Cargoes.
Nuisances from smoke were reported in seven vessels; in only two cases was it
necessary to serve a Statutory Notice.