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The health of the remainder of the crew had been consistently good for the voyage and all were
well at the time of boarding on arrival.
It would appear that the patient had been infected in Lagos during the vessels stay there between
19.7.53 and 29.7.53.
On visiting the ship at her berth it was ascertained that members of the crew had had access to
the patient's cabin after fumigation which, as stated above, had been used as a soiled linen dump
for the remainder of the voyage; consequently arrangements were made to vaccinate all the members
of the crew and a letter, setting out the circumstances was forwarded to the Medical Officers of
Health of the districts to which the members of the crew were proceeding.
The cabin was again fumigated, washed down and repainted. The members of your staff who
had been in contact with the bedding removed at Denton and with the above-mentioned cabin were
also vaccinated.
No further case was reported.
SECTION X—Observations on the occurrence of malaria in ships.
Only three cases of malaria were reported on three vessels during the year under review. All
the cases occurred among members of the crews, one case being disposed of prior to the arrival of the
vessel in this Port.
SECTION XI—Measures taken against ships infected with or suspected for plague.
Plague being primarily a disease of rats all vessels are inspected immediately on arrival at their
berths in the dock and river for the presence of any mortality among the rats on board which is not
attributable to any known cause, such as trapping, poisoning, etc.
Any such rats are immediately sent to the Central Public Health Laboratory at Colindale for
examination for bacillus pestis, each rat being accompanied by a label on which is given precise
information as to where the rat was found in order to arrive at a focus of infection should the examination
prove positive.
In the event of a positive result the discharge of the cargo would be promptly stopped and,
if necessary, arrangements made for the vessel to be fumigated throughout with hydrogen cyanide,
with the cargo in situ, the vessel being removed to an approved mooring.
Following the initial fumigation and collection of dead rats, further samples of which would be
submitted for examination, the discharge of the cargo would be permitted under observation. The
destination of the cargo would be ascertained and a note of the circumstances would be forwarded to
the Medical Officer of Health of the district to which the cargo was proceeding.
Should any of the cargo be discharged overside into lighters, such lighters would be fumigated
immediately they were empty.
On completion of the discharge of cargo from the vessel a second fumigation would be carried out
again using hydrogen cyanide to destroy the residual rat population, if any.
SECTION XII—Measures against rodents in ships from foreign ports.
(1) Procedure for inspection of ships for rats.
The Port Health Authority employs fourteen Rodent Operators working in conjunction with and
under the supervision of the Sanitary Inspectors.
The Rodent Operators' first duty is the examination of such ships in his area as are due for
inspection under Article 19 of the Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1952, relating to the granting of
Deratting and Deratting Exemption Certificates.
His second duty is to visit all ships arriving in his district, to search for evidence of rats, paying
particular attention to vessels which have arrived from plague infected ports and to visit such vessels
during the discharge of cargo.
The Rodent Operators' third duty is the examination of shore premises for signs of rat infestation
paying particular attention to premises adjoining the berths of vessels from plague infected ports.
In 1941 the Port Health Authority instituted a Rodent Control Scheme in all docks and premises
of the Port of London Authority, on behalf of that Authority and in the premises of the tenants of the
Authority on behalf of the occupiers.
This scheme in its early days, relied principally on trapping but with experience and the application
of a more up-to-date knowledge of the habits of rats, new and scientific methods of poisoning
gradually took the place of trapping, the latter now only being occasionally used to clear up residual
rats, if any, which have escaped a major poison operation.
The Port of London Authority have made byelaws requiring the Master of every ship to cause all
ropes and mooring tackle to be fitted with guards to prevent rats passing from ship to shore. The
byelaws also prescribe that when the discharge or loading of cargo is not actually proceeding, one
gangway, whitened for a length of 10 feet at the end next the vessel, may be used as communication
between the ship and the shore.
(2) Arrangements for the bacteriological examination of rodents, with special reference to rodent
plague, including the number of rodents sent for examination during the year.
As described in Section XI above all rats for examination for plague, either by post mortem and
subsequently, if necessary, by bacteriological examination, are promptly sent to the Central Public
Health Laboratory at Colindale.
The bodies are placed in canvas bags which in turn are placed inside metal boxes, sealed and
labelled so that there is no risk of the escape of any rat fleas during their transit to the Laboratory
The boxes are, of course, delivered by hand.
Examination of rats for evidence of plague being a public health measure, is now carried out at
the Government Laboratory at Colindale free of charge, representing a considerable saving in cost to
the Port Health Authority.
The routine Laboratory examination of rats found dead from an unknown cause has been a regular
practice in this Port for many years and it would appear to be a necessary and desirable precaution.
Even the practice of sending rats killed by trapping or poisoning or a proportion of the number so
killed would appear to be desirable.
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