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This decision was further justified when, on the afternoon of 24.11.54, the Pathologist
reported that a preliminary investigation of the specimen forwarded to him failed to reveal any
evidence of B.pestis.
Action taken in Dock.
Immediately on the arrival of the vessel in dock, mooring ropes and the gangway were guarded
to prevent the passage of any rats from the vessel to the shore.
Measures against Insects.
The patient's personal effects and bedding were collected and heavily sprayed with a liquid
insecticide containing D.D.T. The effects and bedding were subsequently made up into bundles
ready for removal ashore, if necessary. All the crew spaces were sprayed by the ship's company
under the supervision of your Sanitary Inspector, particular care being taken to cover all bedding
and clothing which might harbour fleas.
In view of the unknown concentration of D.D.T. in the insecticide first used, as a further
precaution, all the accommodation was again sprayed by a Servicing Company using power
sprays and a liquid insecticide containing 20% Dieldrin emulsion concentrate.
Measures against Rodents.
The vessel was in possession of a valid Deratting Exemption Certificate issued in Hamburg
on 29.6.54.
The vessel was loaded with approximately 4,422 tons of general cargo. Nevertheless an
immediate search was carried out for the presence of rats but no trace was found. Since, owing
to the amount of cargo some parts of the vessel were inaccessible, this search could not be
regarded as conclusive.
Accordingly traps and poison baits were laid as follows:-
44 traps; 70 Zinc Phosphide Baits; 92 '1080' Baits.
These traps and baits were maintained during the vessel's stay in the Port, the number and
position being varied as the cargo situation changed. A daily search was made but no evidence
of rats was discovered nor did any of the traps or baits appear to have been disturbed.
General Sanitary Condition.
The vessel was maintained in good order throughout. The crew accommodation was clean
and apart from the presence of a few cockroaches in the galley, no other insect life was found.
On the morning of the 27th November a report was received from the Pathologist on a
further investigation of the specimen submitted which again gave a negative reaction to B.pestis.
Arrangements were therefore made for the patient's discharge from hospital and he was
handed over to a representative of the Ship's Agents on the 28th November, on which day the
vessel left the Port of London for the Continent.
MYXOMATOSIS AMONGST RABBITS IN TILBURY DOCK.
Your Medical Officer has to report that there are some 400 acres of land inside the Tilbury
Dock curtilage much of which is marsh land that is seldom visited but which, from the observations
of your Sanitary Inspector, Mr. Madeley, is (or was), heavily infested with rabbits. On the
30th August your Sanitary Inspector was asked to see the body of a wild rabbit which had been
killed by a dock worker on the waste land at the rear of No. 4A Shed, Tilbury Dock.
An inspection showed that the rabbit was blind with heavily swollen eye-lids and had
swollen hind quarters. Your Inspector immediately suspected myxomatosis and in addition
to reporting the matter to your Medical Officer also informed the Essex Office of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries who thereupon sent their Pest Officer to the Dock. After examining
the rabbit this Officer confirmed that it was suffering from myxomatosis and removed the body
for further examination.
The following day, 31st August, an Assistant County Pest Officer arrived at the dock to
search the outlying parts of the dock area and to assess the extent of rabbit infestation and, if
possible, the proportion of rabbits infected.
Your Medical Officer was subsequently informed that as a result of this search six dead
infected rabbits were found but that owing to the dense undergrowth, some of it impenetrable,
it was difficult to estimate the rabbit population alive or dead. It appeared from tracks in the
grass that there were still a number of healthy rabbits.
Finally some 30 dead rabbits were recovered from the marsh land to the north of the dock
buildings. The bodies were burned on the refuse tip.
It was anticipated that if the disease were to spread it would occur mainly on the waste
land where any dead bodies would be dealt with by the normal dock scavenging service thus
avoiding any possible nuisance, since the Port of London Authority Dock Superintendent had
been informed of the situation and would be on the look out.
SECTION X—Observations on the occurrence of malaria in ships.
Only ten cases of malaria were reported on six vessels during the year under review. All
the cases occurred among members of the crews, and were 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.
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