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January, 1953.
To The Worshipful
The Port of London Health Committee.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report as Medical Officer of Health of the Port of
London.
A letter from the Secretary, Ministry of Health, dated 19th November, 1952, enclosed copies of
Circular 33 /52 and Form Port 20, and requested that the Annual Report of the Port Medical Officer
for London for 1952 and thereafter may be prepared on the lines of that Form, adapted as may be
necessary to the special needs of the administration of the London Port Health District. This new
Form replaces Memo. 302 /S.A., on which Annual Reports have hitherto been based.
Tonnage. The tonnage of vessels entering the Port of London during 1952 was 28,964,629 tons
as compared with 28,315,729 tons during 1951. Eleven thousand four hundred and seventy-two
vessels arrived from foreign ports and of these 1,940 were visited by your Medical Officers (Table B).
Communicable Diseases. Two hundred and seventy-four cases of notifiable communicable
diseases (including malaria) were reported as having occurred on 205 vessels during the voyage, of
which, 138 were landed in the Port (Table D).
Forty-four cases, particulars of which are given in Appendix II (b) were admitted to the Denton
Isolation Hospital.
No case of human or rat plague occurred during the year on any vessel bound for London.
Fumigations. One hundred and seventy-one vessels were either fumigated, trapped or poisonbaited
for rodent destruction and the issue of International Certificates under the supervision of your
Inspectors. One hundred and twenty-three vessels were fumigated using hydrogen cyanide and
resulted in the recovery of 1,782 rats and 653 mice. Two were fumigated with sulphur dioxide
accounting for 28 rats. In addition 46 vessels were subjected to various methods of poisoning and
trapping, in 14 of which "1080" was used, resulting in the destruction of 102 rats and 244 mice.
Rodents. A total of 7,274 rats were destroyed and their bodies recovered during the course of
the year, 2,267 in ships and 4,907 on shore premises in the Port. In addition 3,109 mice were destroyed,
958 in ships and 2,151 on shore premises (Table E).
Water Barges. Fourteen water barges were in use during the year. The registration of these
craft by the Port of London Authority is made conditional upon a report of your Officers as to the
fitness of the barges for the carrying of drinking water as also upon the purity of the water thus
carried.
Houseboats. The routine inspection of houseboats was continued throughout the year but no
progress was made in the issue of revised bye-laws submitted by the Corporation to the Ministry of
Health for confirmation.
Imported Foods. The total amount of foodstuffs seized and condemned as unfit for human
consumption and either reconditioned or disposed of for animal consumption or for industrial purposes
under guarantee or destroyed outright either by burning or burying was 2,203 tons 0 cwt. 1 qr. 1 lb.,
as compared with 1,917 tons during 1951 and 2,661 tons during 1950.
Shellfish. Action taken under the Public Health (Shellfish) Regulations is reported on page 18.
Instruction of D.P.H. and D.I.H. Classes in Port Health Work. Post Graduate Students of the
Royal Institute of Public Health and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine taking
their course for the Diploma in Public Health and in Industrial Hygiene again paid visits to one or
other of the Dock Groups and were given practical demonstrations of the day to day work of the
Port Health Services on the River and in the Docks.
Visitors to the Port. A number of foreign Medical Officers and other Port Health Administrators
visited the Port to study various aspects of Port Health Administration. Instruction was given
according to the particular requirements of the individual.
Your Medical Officer wishes to record his appreciation of the collaboration and assistance rendered
by the Officers of Her Majesty's Customs, of the Port of London Authority, the Pilots and members of
the staffs of the Shipping Companies and Merchants, in every aspect of the work of the Port Health
Authority throughout the year.
Your Medical Officer also has pleasure in reporting that all members of your staff have carried
out their duties both willingly and efficiently.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
M. T. MORGAN.
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