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DISPOSAL OF DEAD YOUNG WHALE
On the 15th April 1958 the P.L.A. and the Thames River Police reported a decomposing
whale in the River, and the Port Health Inspector for the River District arranged for the whale to
be made secure on the foreshore at Millwall pending a decision as to the best means of disposal.
Arrangements were finally made for the launch "Alfred Robertson" to tow the whale to Erith
where, with the kind assistance of a firm of refuse contractors, the monster was lifted ashore and
buried in a refuse dump. The whale was about 15 feet long and estimated to weigh about
15 cwts.
Three dead porpoises were also dealt with similarly.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1936, PART X - CANAL BOATS
Nineteen inspections of canal boats were made during the year and three canal boats were
found to have a total of four defects, as follows:
No. of defects
Cabin in need of painting 3
Dampness in cabin due to defective deckhead 1
The Owners and/or Masters of the defective craft were in each case notified and requested
to remedy the defects.
In eight instances the Certificate of Registration was not on board. The Owners and/or
Masters were informed of the requirements of the Act in this respect.
No new Registrations were made during the year.
DANGEROUS DRUGS
During the year ten certificates authorising the purchase of scheduled Dangerous Drugs
were issued under the Dangerous Drugs Regulations, 1953, Regulation 13 (2) of which is as
follows
(a) The master of a foreign ship which is in a port in Great Britain shall be authorised to
procure such quantity of drugs and preparations as may be certified by the medical
officer of health of the port health authority within whose jurisdiction the ship is or, in
his absence, by the assistant medical officer of health, to be necessary for the equipment
of the ship until it reaches its home port.
(b) A person who supplies a drug or preparation in accordance with a certificate given under
this paragraph shall retain the certificate and mark it with the date on which the drug or
preparation was supplied and keep it on his premises so as to be at all times available
for inspection.
HELICOPTER STATION FOR SOUTH BANK
The Press for 26th June 1958, reported that work on a new helicopter station on the south
bank of the Thames at Battersea was to start in August and was expected to be ready for use in
1959.
As the station will consist of a T-shaped landing platform extending over the river between
Battersea railway bridge and Wandsworth Bridge, there was the possibility that if the station were
to be used for international air traffic, the responsibility for health control would fall to the Port
and City of London Health Committee.
Enquiries as to the proposed helicopter station were made of the Ministry of Health who
have replied that it appears that it is purely a temporary measure so far of a private firm, Westland
Aircraft Ltd. The site is expected to be used for a period up to 7 years, primarily for advertising
purposes. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation do not think that the traffic will call for
any health control at the present time.
FERTILISERS AND FEEDING STUFFS ACT, 1926
FERTILISERS AND FEEDING STUFFS REGULATIONS, 1955
Twelve samples of Feeding Stuffs were submitted to the Agricultural Analyst.
In each case the sample was found to be within the limits of variation permissible under the
Regulations.
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