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4.
5, Church Passage,
Guildhall, E.C.2.
January 1942.
TO THE WORSHIPFUL,
THE PORT OP LONDON HEALTH COMMITTEE,
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report as Medical
Officer of Health of the Port of London.
Circular No.2641 of the Ministry of Health dated 30th April
1942, requests that the Report for the year 1941 "be prepared on the
lines indicated in Circular No.1937 dated 11th January 1940, namely
that "having regard to the desirability of reducing the number of records
to be kept and of avoiding as far as possible the disclosure of
information relating to the movement of ships, the Minister desires
that the requirements set out in Memo-204/S.A., shall be modified
during the period of emergency: the letterpress of the report should
consist of short notes on any points of special interest".
One hundred and fourteen cases of Infectious Disease were
reported as having occurred on vessels during the voyage of which 38
were landed in the Port.
Thirty seven cases, particulars of which are given in
Appendix IIb. were admitted to Infectious Diseases Hospitals.
The Port Isolation Hospital at Denton was closed on the
26.10.40 and has since been on a care and maintenance basis.
Arrangements were made for the reception of cases of
infectious disease in Hospitals in the vicinity of the River. Denton
Hospital can be re-opened at short notice should the occasion arise.
These arrangements have worked satisfactorily during the year. Disinfection
of cases, their clothing, bedding and effects continue to
be carried out at Denton Hospital.
No case of human plague occurred during the year on any
vessel bound for London.
Of the 2,650 rats examined bacteriologically, 955 were from
ships and 1,695 were from shore premises. No rats were reported to be
infected with Plague.
Ninety-four vessels were fumigated for rat destruction
under the supervision of your Inspectors, 73 by sulphor dioxide resulting
in the destruction of 2,815 rats and 626 mice; 21 by hydrogen
cyanide accounting for 479 rats and 182 mice. One vessel was deratised
by Trapping only, the number of rats so destroyed being 18.
In addition 5,474 rats were trapped in ships and 3,022
on shore premises in the Port. The work of rat repression in the Port
area has been considerably intensified during the year and is the subject
of a separate report.
The Parrots (Prohibition of Import) Regulations, 1930,
continued in operation and the work thereunder is reported on page 7.
The arrangements whereby the registration of Water Barges
was made conditional upon the report of your Officers as to their
fitness for the carriage of drinking water, continued to work smoothly,
During the year 4,256 tons of foodstuff were condemned as
unfit/