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Notifications to the Authority of inward vessels requiring medical attention -
Arrangements are in force by which the General Post Office telephone direct
to the Medical Officer on duty on the "Hygeia" all messages received, by the North
Foreland Radio Station from vessels in accordance with the instructions on the
Declaration of Health. There is always a Medical Officer on duty, a launch available
and, although Denton Hospital has not yet been re-opened for the reception of
cases, arrangements have been made for Infectious oases to be admitted to
hospitals at Grays Thurrock and Colchester.
Occasionally a vessel voluntarily sends a full Quarantine Message in code,
which is deciphered by the Medical Officer from Volume II (Radio) of the
International Code of Signals, but practically all messages are received direct
from the ships, but when some serious infectious sickness has occurred on board,
advance information is received from the Ministry of Health through the Information
Bureau of the International Health Offices.
Ships requiring medical attention are required to fly the flag signal LIM
during the day and to flash "Q" on their morse lamp by night when approaching
Gravesend, both signals meaning "Medical Officer required".
Mooring Stations designated under Article 10 -
Owing to enemy action certain of the mooring stations designated by the Port
of London Authority are no longer in existence and the question of alternative
moorings is now the subject of correspondence with the Port of London Authority.
Particulars of any Standing Exemptions from the provisions of Article 14.-
No standing exemptions have been made in regard to ships proceeding above
Gravesend but the question of exemption for certain vessels, particularly 'oil
tankers' proceeding up the River Medway and to Thameshaven, is at present the subject
of correspondence with the Waterguard Superintendent of His Majesty's Customs
and Excise,
Experience of working Article 16 -
(1) As ships are cleared in the River immediately on arrival, no difficulty
has been experienced in preventing the embarkation or disembarkation of unauthorised
persons.
(2) When a ship arrives which has on board a case of one of the major infectious
diseases or on which such a case has died or has been landed abroad within the
incubation period of the particular disease, it is the practice to regard every
person on board as a contact and accordingly to arrange for his observation or surveillance
.
Those persons intending to leave the ship must give their names and addresses
before leaving and this is done by issuing such persons with a specially prepared
double post-card, on one half of which he gives full details of his name and the
address to which he is proceeding immediately on disembarkation and the other half
he is asked to keep and use only should he change his address during a specified
period. This half of the card is on the "Business Reply Card" system so that the
person concerned does not have to stamp it.
What, if any, arrangements have been made for
(a) Premises and waiting rooms for medical examination -
Medical examinations are usually carried out on board ship but there are rooms
available for the medical inspection of Aliens on the Tilbury Landing Stage.
(b) Cleansing and disinfection of ships, persons and clothing and other articles
Disinfection of infected quarters is usually carried out by the Sanitary
(9)