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 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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Assistant Superintendent, Gravesend.
Chief Preventive Officer, Sheerness.
Preventive Officers-Rochester, Chatham dockyard and ridham dock
HEALTH REGULATIONS (Customs Code, Vol. 4, Pt. 4).
PORT OF LONDON. SHEERNESS PROCEDURE.
1. The list of infected areas, referred to as the "listed areas" below (Customs Code, Vol. 4,
Part 4, para. 3) is given on page 4 of the London Declaration of Health Form.
2. The Medical Officer of Health, Port of London Health Authority, requests the application of the following procedure as from the 1st March, 1947.
| Classification of ship C.C., Vol. 4. Pt4, paras, 5 & 6 | Answers given to questions on the Declaration of Health Form | If vessel has come from a "listed area" within six weeks of her arrival at Sheerness | Customs Procedure |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) All foreign-going ships other than Tankers. | All in the negative. | No. | Issue Certificate of Pratique. |
| (2) Do. | If any are in the affirmative, or | Yes. | Inform the Master that he is not to allow any unauthorised person to leave the ship without the Medical Officer's permission. Issue Modified Pratique and allow vesselto proceed to her berth. In the most expeditious manner possible notify Dr. Madwar in the case of ships berthing at Sheerness or Dr. Murray in the case of ships proceeding direct to Rochester.* |
| (3) Foreign-going ships. Tankers. | Are all in the negative. | Can be disregarded. | Issue Certificate of Pratique. |
| (4) Do. | If any are in the affirmative. | Can be disregarded. | As in the case of ships at (2) above. |
| (5) Home Trade ships. | If a written Declaration of Health is taken and any answer is in the affirmative. | As in the case of ships at (2) above. |
From the heading of Column 3 it will be seen that the fact that a ship has come from a "listed
area" before six weeks of her arrival here can also be disregarded.
As regards ships shown at (2) (4) and (5) it will facilitate matters if a full Certificate of
Pratique is left under cover on board addressed to the Doctor for him to hand to the Master in due
course.
(Signed) C. R. PURSER,
Waterguard Superintendent.
Custom House, London, e.c.3.
*The telephone numbers of Dr. Madwar and Murray are as follows:—
Dr. H.A. Madwar—Sheerness 2088. Dr. S.0. Murray—Chatham 3258.
(5) Arrangements for—
(a) Hospital accommodation for infectious diseases (other than smallpox—see Section VII).
Denton Hospital having been transferred to the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital
Board, arrangements have been made for a patient or patients suffering from an infectious disease
to be removed to Denton Hospital, pending arrangements for the transference of such cases to the
appropriate hospital under the management of the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital
Board. Should weather conditions make it undesirable to land cases over the pontoon at Denton
Hospital, arrangements have been made to land such cases over the Tilbury Landing Stage on the
Essex shore for admission to Thurrock Hospital.
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