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"It is equally a cause for thanksgiving that the combined wisdom of experts of all nations
could be used in drafting these regulations and that the nations of the world accepted them
with so little demur. At the moment they are sufficient, but the problems of disease are
dynamic. Old diseases may assume new forms or new diseases appear to threaten us. The
laws of the Medes and Persians are a poor model for medical legislation."
HOSPITAL ADMISSONS FROM THE PORT OF LONDON
Your Medical Officer has reported from time to time upon the requests for help received by
himself and his staff to deal with incidents which do not always fall strictly within the terms of
your Worshipful Committee's responsibilities.
An outstanding example is the request to facilitate admission to hospital of patients from
ships moored in the Port of London even though these patients are not suffering from illnesses
which render them liable to be dealt with under the Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1952.
Difficulties are seldom experienced in the Lower River district particularly because we have
there the control of the Denton Isolation Hospital and also through the good relations with the
Medical Officer of Health of the Thurrock Urban District Council, Dr. Boul, who readily admits
all kinds of cases to the hospitals under his control on the Tilbury side of the River.
The main difficulties have been experienced within the Dock Groups serving the Middle and
Upper River Districts where matters were brought to a head when a sick engineer serving one of
the well known Shipping Lines was kept waiting all day for admission to hospital, which was
finally achieved through the intervention of your Medical Officer.
The Vice-Chairman of the Line was extremely incensed over the incident and your Medical
Officer promised him that, though not his responsibility, he would take the matter up with the
Ministry of Health.
As a result of a good many discussions it was finally arranged that the Emergency Bed Service
on bona fide representations from your Medical Officer would always try to arrange the admission
of patients from ships in the various dock groups within the Metropolitan area.
The smooth working of the arrangement is exemplified by the following occurrences:—
(a) The s.s. "Braemar Castle" arrived on the 2nd February and proceeded to her berth in the
King George V. Dock for disembarkation of passengers.
The Shipping Company telephoned the Central Office to say that the Ship's Surgeon had reported
to them that two passengers, children, one aged four months and the other aged sixteen months,
were suffering from gastro-enteritis and acute tonsillitis respectively and requesting their removal
to hospital.
The Health Inspector on the dock was immediately instructed to visit the vessel and obtain
full particulars of the cases, reporting back to your Medical Officer.
This he did and it was ascertained that the parents of the children who had hoped to proceed to
accommodation in Southampton found on arrival that this arrangement had fallen through and,
therefore, they would have to go on to an hotel until they were able to make other arrangements.
It was for this reason, apart from any others, that the Surgeon requested that the children should
be admitted to hospital.
It was at this stage that the Emergency Bed Service was called upon to render assistance and
despite the difficulty experienced owing to the tender age of the patients and the fact that the
mother at least should go with them, within the hour they had arranged not only for an ambulance
to convey the patients but also their admission to the Eastern Hospital, Homerton, E.9.
(b) The s.s. "Warwick Castle" arrived off Gravesend at 01.00 hours on the 17th February, and
was boarded by your Boarding Medical Officer, Dr. J.A. Jones.
On board was a Tourist passenger, a lady aged 46 who was reported to be suffering from gastroenteritis.
She had a temperature of 101° and still had diarrhoea.
Your Boarding Medical Officer who was of the opinion that the patient was more likely to be
suffering from bacillary dysentery, considered that her condition was such that she was not a
suitable case for removal in the night without a nurse and also since the diarrhoea attacks were
not controlled.
He therefore, allowed the patient to proceed in the vessel to her berth in the King George V
Dock, and shortly after 9.0 a.m., the same morning, notified not only the Health Inspector on the
dock of the circumstances but also the Central Office with a request to arrange admission of the
patient to hospital.
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