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The Customs also maintain a launch constantly on duty in this
Reach of the River, and it is here also that the deep sea pilot hands
over to the river pilot. Thus all three services are in close touch
with one another.
When the boarding launch is undergoing overhaul or is, by any
other reason temporarily out of commission, the Medical Officer boards
from the Customs launch, by courtesy of His Majesty's Customs.
During this period an up-river launch is sent to Gravesend to
enable the Sanitary Inspector on the lower river district to carry out
his duties and remove any case of infectious sickness to hospital.
During the year your Worshipful Committee has had under consideration
the purchase of an additional launch for duty on the Gravesend Station,
such a launch to be capable of replacing the "Howard Deighton" while out
of commission and thus avoiding the necessity of sending an up-river
launch to Gravesend. At other times this launch would be available to
the Inspector on the lower river and Gravesend districts.
Reference is made above to the use of the Customs launch for
boarding by the Medical Officer but although the Customs are most
generous and courteous in giving every possible facility, their primary
duty is to hail and grant pratique to every incoming vessel from 'foreign',
consequently they frequently cannot stand by while the Boarding Medical
Officer inspects a number of passengers and a large crew or carefully
examines cases of sickness which may be of an infectious nature. It is,
therefore, obviously desirable that the Medical Officer should always
have his own launch so that he can have time to do his work thoroughly
without feeling that he is delaying the Customs Officers and making it
difficult for them to carry out their own duties.
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,up to the
time of re-opening Denton Hospital for the reception of cases, arrangements
were made for infectious cases to be admitted to hospital 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 Office.
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 mooring stations designated
by the port of London Authority were no longer in existance. During
the year, however, and after correspondence with the Port of London
Authority and the Waterguard Superintendent of His Majesty's Customs
and Excise the following Mooring Stations were adopted:-
(11)