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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SECTION II-AMOUNT OF SHIPPING ENTERING THE DISTRICT DURING THE YEAR.
TABLE B
| Ships from | Number | Tonnage | Number Inspected | Number of ships reported as having, or naving had during the voyage infectious disease on board. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By the Port Medical Officer | By the Port Sanitary Inspector | ||||
| Foreign Ports | 15,452 | 26,089,386 | 1,874 | 9,973 | 215 |
| Coastwise | 11,882 | 9,025,557 | 2 | 2,078 | 2 |
| T otal | 27,334 | 35,114,943 | 1,876 | 12,051 | 217 |
SECTION ID—CHARACTER OF SHIPPING AND TRADE DURING THE YEAR.
TABLE C
| Passenger Traffic | 1 Number of Passengers—Inwards | 99,230 | |
| 1 Number of Passengers—Outwards | 117,408 | ||
| Cargo Traffic | 1 Principal Imports | All types of produce and merchandise. | |
| ( Principal Exports | |||
| Principal Ports from which ships arrive. The Port of London trades with all parts of the world. | |||
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—
All the docks in the London area obtain their water supplies from the Metropolitan Water
Board. Tilbury Dock is supplied by the South Essex Water Company.
The majority of the wharves are supplied by Public Water Authorities within whose area
of jurisdiction they are situated while several have their own deep wells. A few have
no water supplies available for shipping in which case any water required can be
obtained from water barges.
(b) Shipping —
Ships not able to obtain water from the shore supplies indicated above, or ships lying
at buoys in the river, can obtain supplies from water barges.
2. Reports of tests for contamination.
Periodic sampling of drinking water from the quayside hydrants and from water barges is carried
out, the samples being submitted to the Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale, for examination.
3. Precautions taken against contamination of hydrants and hosepipes.
Hydrants within the dock area are of the standard pattern as used by the Metropolitan Water
Board. They are contained in brick-lined pits constructed at intervals along the berthing quays
and consist of an upright standpipe with nozzle coupling to which the supply hose can be coupled.
The hoses, of rubber lined canvas, when not in use are coiled up and hung in specially constructed
boxes at convenient points within the docks. When in use particular care is taken that
the hoses do not sag into the dock water and in the transference from the ship to the shore at no
time do they come into contact with the dock water. If this should happen the hoses are thoroughly
cleansed and flushed with fresh water before being used again.
4. Number and sanitary condition of water boats and powers of control by the Authority.
There were thirteen 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 Medical Officer of Health of the Port 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.
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