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4.
5, Church Passage,,
Guildhall, E.C.2.
January,1943.
To
THE WORSHIPFUL,
THE PORT OP LONDON HEALTH COMMITTEE.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit ray Annual Report as
Medical Officer of Health of the Port of London.
Circular 2768 of the Ministry of Health dated
15th February,1943, states -
"I am directed by the Minister of Health to refer to
Circular 1937 of the 11th January,1940, and to request
that the Authority will instruct their Medical Officer
of Health to prepare his report for 1942, on the lines
indicated in that Circular, and that two copies of the
report may be forwarded to this Department not later
than the 31st March, 1943".
One hundred and ninety-six cases of Infectious
Disease were reported as having occurred on vessels during the
voyage of which 46 were landed in the Port,
Twenty-four cases, particulars of which are given
in Appendix II (b), were admitted to Infectious Diseases Hospitals.
The Port Isolation Hospital at Denton was closed
on the 26.10.40 and arrangements were made for the reception of
cases of infectious disease in Hospitals in the vicinity of the
River. 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 3,259 rats examined bacteriologically, 925
were from ships and 2,334 were from shore premises. No rats
were reported to be infected with Plague.
Seventy-six vessels were fumigated for rodent
destruction and the issue af an International Certificate, under
the supervision of your Inspectors, 17 by sulphur dioxide resulting
in the destruction of 640 rats and 11 mice and 59 by hydrogen
cyanide accounting for 2,633 rats and 77 mice.
In addition 4,661 rats were trapped in ships and
4,114 on shore premises in the Port. The work of rodent
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 6.
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 1,457 tons of foodstuffs were
condemned as unfit for human consumption and were either
reconditioned or disposed of for animal or for industrial purposes
under suitable guarantee, or destroyed.