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SECTION IV—INLAND BARGE TRAFFIC.
Numbers and tonnage using the district and places served by the traffic.
There are approximately 7,000 barges of all types; dumb barges, mechanically-propelled
barges, etc., registered annually with the Port of London Authority. The approximate tonnage is
500,000 tons.
The traffic of these craft extends throughout the length of the Port, while a number of them are
employed carrying goods and merchandise via the canals to all parts of the country.
SECTION V—WATER SUPPLY.
1. Source of supply for—
(a) The district—No change.
(b) Shipping—No Change.
2. Reports of tests for contamination—No Change.
3. Precautions taken against contamination of hydrants and hosepipes—No Change.
4. Number and sanitary condition of water boats and powers of control by the Authority.
There were fourteen water boats working in the Port during the year.
Water boats are registered annually by the Port of London Authority and such registration
is made conditional upon the report of the M.O.H. as to the fitness of the craft for the carriage of
drinking water as also upon the purity of the water thus carried. To this end sampling is carried
out from time to time.
SECTION VI—PUBLIC HEALTH (SHIPS) REGULATIONS, 1952.
1. List of Infected Areas (Regulation 6). No change.
2. Radio Messages.
(a) Arrangements for sending permission by radio for ships to enter the district. (Regulation
13.) No change.
(b) Arrangements for receiving messages from ships and for acting thereon. (Regulation
14 (1) (a) and (2)). No change.
3. Notifications otherwise than by Radio (Regulation 14 (1) (b) ). No change.
4. Mooring Stations (Regulations 22 to 30). No change.
5. Arrangements for—
(a) Hospital accommodation for infectious diseases No change.
(b) Surveillance and follow up of contacts No change.
(c) Cleansing and disinfection of ships, persons, clothing and other articles No change.
The attention of your Medical Officer was drawn to a rather serious defect in the instructions
on the card issued to persons, contacts or potential contacts of a quarantinable disease, who are
permitted to disembark under surveillance (medical supervision) on arrival in the Port of London.
Under the terms of the Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1952, such persons are permitted
to disembark provided they give to the Port Medical Officer the address to which they are immediately
proceeding and undertake to notify him of any change of address during a period following
disembarkation, depending on the incubation period of the quarantinable disease.
The card in use made no reference to the term "Surveillance" and your Medical Officer was
informed by Mr. City Solicitor that any proceedings that might be taken against a person for a
breach of the Regulations, i.e., who failed to notify a change of address or gave a false address,
might fail on that account.
Your Medical Officer deemed it necessary to order a new supply of cards in which this defect
was corrected and, with the approval of your Worshipful Committee, this was done.
The new card, which is in three sections, now reads as follows:-
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