London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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TABLE F.
| No. of Deratting Certificates Issued. | Number of Deratting Exemption Certificates Issued. | Total Certificates Issued. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| After Fumigation with | After Trapping. | After Poisoning. | After Trapping and Poisoning. | Total. | |||
| HCN | Other Fumigant (state Method) S.O2. | ||||||
| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 4(a) | 5. | 6. | 7. |
| 52. | 2. | 5. | "1080" 72 "Warfarin" 10 Zinc Phosphide 8 90. | Trapping and "Warfarin" 2 Trapping & Zinc Phosphide 1 3. | 152. | 843. | 995. |
TABLE G.
| Inspections and Notices. | British owned vessels. | Foreign owned vessels. |
|---|---|---|
| Number of vessels visited by Sanitary Inspectors | 7,501 | 4,305 |
| Number of vessels on which sanitary defects were found, and details reported to the Master, Owners and /or Ministry of Transport | 791 | 91 |
| Number of Statutory Notices served | Nil | Nil |
| Number of vessels on which sanitary defects were remedied | 775 | 91 |
| Inadequate ventilation | 8 | — |
| Defective Lighting—Natural | 1 | — |
| Do. do. —Artificial | — | 1 |
| Defective Heating | 15 | — |
| Condensation | 5 | — |
| Leaking Decks | 19 | — |
| Leaking Ports, Deck lights, etc. | 10 | — |
| Leaking Sideplates | 1 | — |
| Leaking Hawser and Chain Pipes | 1 | — |
| Deficient or Obstructed Floor Drainage | 10 | — |
| Water lodging on top of Peak Tanks | 1 | — |
| Defective Bulkheads | 5 | — |
| Do. Floors | 23 | — |
| Do. Doors | 3 | — |
| Do. Chain Pipes | — | — |
| Do. Bunks | 2 | —- |
| Do. Clothes Lockers | 1 | — |
| Do. Food Lockers | 2 | — |
| Do. Food Storage | 13 | — |
| Do. Cooking Arrangements | 8 | 1 |
| Defective or Uncleanly Drinking Water Storage | 1 | — |
| Water Closet Obsolete | 5 | — |
| Do. Defective | 25 | — |
| Do. Foul or Choked | 13 | 1 |
| Do. Inadequate Flush | 14 | 1 |
| Wash Basins Defective | 24 | |
| Do. Foul | 3 | — |
| Neglected Paintwork or Distemper | 35 | — |
| Absence of Washrooms | —- | — |
| Absence of Messrooms | 1 | —- |
| Misappropriation of Crew Spaces | — | — |
| Verminous Quarters | 114 | 6 |
| Dirty Quarters | 595 | 83 |
| Miscellaneous | 61 | 1 |
| Totals | 1,019 | 94 |
HYGIENE RELATED TO CREWS ACCOMMODATION.
Living conditions for officers and seamen of the Merchant Navy have been considerably improved
in the past decade. There is widespread evidence, particularly in the ships constructed since the end
of the war, that this subject has been given high priority by shipowners, naval architects and responsible
officials. The effect of these efforts is reflected in the reports submitted by the Port Sanitary
Inspectors, which indicate a considerable and progressive reduction in the number of nuisances
found on any ship; moreover, the number of ships reported for nuisances is similarly declining.
This trend of better sanitary standards combining social amenities for seafarers gives cause for much
satisfaction to the Port Health Authorities who have for long striven, with somewhat limited powers
to justify the need for such improvements.
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