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shortcoming as far as practicable and the success is more apparent from inside than outside. However,
she is very reliable, self-contained in equipment and well suited to the duties imposed. No provision
is made for the transport of stretcher cases, but there is accommodation for four sitting patients.
The internal construction is as follows:—Forepeak, galley, engine-room, wheelhouse, saloon and
afterpeak. No w.c. is provided, nor is this a serious omission, because the launch is generally in close
proximity to one of the landing stages, where a w.c. is available by courtesy of the P.L.A.
The crew consists of a navigator and a boy. Minor repairs and adjustments to the engine are
carried out by the engineer of the "Alfred Robertson," while the launches are moored at the station.
During the war years little maintenance was done to the launches and a formidable legacy of
defects had to be tackled and eliminated after the war. In addition to this, improvements had to be
made in order to fit the launches for a more efficient and reliable service. These commitments have
been met during the past seven years without any major dislocation of the Service. Higher prices
for materials and labour have demanded caution and wise planning and, during this year, the programme
has been completed by giving a major refit to the four launches.
Strict control of expenditure of fuel and materials has been imposed upon the launch crews and
have been gladly accepted by them; they have helped considerably by improvisation and doing
minor maintenance work while on duty between overhauling periods. A fair proportion of the money
spent during this long-term policy has been allocated to major improvements and the result has given
general satisfaction to those who operate and use the launches.
There are no spare hands among the floating staff and it is gratifying to see how the members
are ready, often at much inconvenience to themselves, to fill the gaps which arise in emergencies and
to keep the launches at all times ready for duty. By goodwill and a real sense of pride and responsibility,
those who conduct the affairs of the Authority afloat and the launches at their disposal,
combine to play a very effective part in this branch of the port health service.
SECTION VII—SMALLPOX.
(1) Name of Isolation Hospital to which smallpox cases are sent from the district.
Denton Hospital is situated on the south bank of the River about a mile below Gravesend. The
hospital buildings comprise a small administrative block and nurses' home, three ward blocks (one a
cubicle ward with eight cubicles), a laundry, a disinfection station, a porter's cottage and a mortuary.
Cases can be landed from the ambulance launch at a jetty and be wheeled straight into the hospital.
In the event of a case or cases of smallpox one of the ward blocks (the smallpox block) could be
opened for the reception and nursing of patients. Alternatively, patients may be removed to other
approved hospitals under the management of the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.
(2) Arrangements for transport of such cases to that hospital by ambulance giving the name of the
Authority responsible for the ambulance and the vaccinal state of the ambulance crews.
The removal of a case or cases from a vessel to Denton Hospital would be carried out by the Port
Health Authority's Ambulance Launch and that Authority would be responsible for the vaccinal state
of the ambulance crew.
In the case of patients removed to other isolation hospitals the responsible body would be the
South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.
(3) Names of smallpox consultants available.
Dr. W. T. Boul. Dr. J. P. Marsden.
Dr. W. J. Coughlan. Dr. M. T. Mitman.
Dr. H. S. Banks. Dr. J. W. Armstrong.
(4) Facilities for laboratory diagnosis of smallpox.
Facilities are available at the Virus Laboratory of the Central Public Health Laboratory at Colindale
SECTION VIII—VENEREAL DISEASES.
No Change.