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58
"The next stage in the system of defence concerns the handling of the
ship and its cargo on arrival at the mooring set aside for dealing with contaminated
ships. In normal circumstances the ship would enter dock for
unloading, and your Food Inspectors, Sanitary Inspectors and Assistant Rat
Officers would deal with the food cargo, if any, and with the state of health
of the ship. Under the Air-raid Precautions Scheme of the Port it is suggested
that your Inspectors might make an examination of the contents of each
hold while the ship was lying at the decontamination berth and decide to what
extent the cargo would require special decontamination treatment. It might
be that every hold was so contaminated that cargo would have to be unloaded
into lighters, part of it condemned forthwith for destruction, and the remainder
dealt with specially in the manner considered most appropriate. On the
other hand, only one or two holds might be considered affected, and it would
be a question of dealing with this cargo in detail at the time of its unloading
either in the river or at the quayside.
It is obvious that in cases of contamination food cargoes will require
very special attention. It may be possible in the case of certain food cargoes
to decontaminate and then to release for consumption, but others will need
individual attention, piece by piece, in the hope of saving a certain proportion
as fit, after treatment, for human consumption.
"Admiral Oldham pointed out that one of the principal duties of the
Port of London Authority will be the certification of cargo for export as free
from contamination. He suggested that since the Officers of your Authority
have great experience in dealing with foodstuffs for export or for re-export,
their services might be employed in times of emergency in inspecting and passing
not only foodstuffs, but all cargo coming into the Port of London for export,
as free from contamination, and consequently safe to handle. This might
necessitate somewhat complicated machinery for ascertaining whether the
cargo had been contaminated at the point of manufacture or in transit to the
docks. It is understood that arrangements for the setting-up of a co-ordinated
procedure have already been investigated.
"It will be clear to your Worshipful Committee that there will be no
margin having regard to the extra burden and expense laid on your Officers
in the discharge of their normal duties, complicated by a state of emergency,
for carrying out additional duties without appropriate assistance. It is understood
that the Air-raid Precautions Authority of the Port of London fully
realise this, and will be quite prepared, in any scheme that is adopted, to render
such additional assistance as is necessary in the way of personnel and transport.
"The accompanying memorandum* which has been drawn up in consultation
with Admiral Oldham, considers in greater detail a draft scheme of collaboration
with the Air-raid Precautions Department of the Port of London
Authority, and is submitted to your Worshipful Committee for consideration
and approval, as indeed, is the scheme as a whole.
" (Signed) M. T. MORGAN."
On Wednesday morning, the 28th September, 1938, the international situation
seemed so critical that your Medical Officer, after consultation with your Chairman,
with Mr. Town Clerk and with Mr. Surveyor, decided to carry out immediate protective
measures with a view to preparing Denton Hospital for the reception of wounded,
contaminated and other cases from the River.
It was decided to render the Cubicle Block and connecting corridor, the Enteric
Block, the Smallpox Block and the Cleansing Station, as far as possible gas-proof
by preparing frames covered with wire netting and blanketing, to fit into the windows.
It was considered necessary to erect three air-locks; one at the entry to the Cubicle
Block, another at the entry to the Cleansing Chamber "dirty" side, and another at
the exit from the Cleansing Chamber "clean" side.
The air-lock at the Cubicle Block would be easily made by filling in the open space
between the pillars supporting the eaves at the Eastern end of the Block. The other
two air-locks were to be built of solid wooden framework covered with " tongued and
grooved " boarding.
* See Appendix XXX.