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with the treatment given to the water from the hydrant fitting until it reaches the ship's storage
tanks in the first instance. With regard to water boats, the Port Health Inspectors are content to
disregard the actual hydrant in normal circumstances and consider the water boat tank as the
source of supply for routine sampling purposes.
The systematic sampling practice in this Port is to sterilise the hydrant coupling and bathe
it in the cascade of the supply before taking the sample at this stage. Subsequently, the supply
hose is connected to the hydrant coupling and led to the filling point aboard ship where the hose
terminal may be fitted with a screwed metal coupling for a closed filling system or a nozzle to
insert into an open gravity-fed system. It is only after having allowed a quantity of the water
supply to flush the hose and run to waste that a second sample is drawn to test the potability of
the water actually delivered to the ship's tanks and affords a means of checking the cleanliness
of the hose and fittings. Thereafter, a third sample may be drawn from a drinking water supply
point or a suitable part of the distribution circuit to check and eliminate any point of contamination
within the ship. So far, this procedure has been sufficient to provide a warning of impending
danger and helped to rectify unsatisfactory incidents which have arisen from time to time. It has
proved also that there is a real danger of contamination where the drinking water is supplied to a
closed system without a safeguarding device to prevent back-flow from ship to hose and mains.
From the results of nearly 150 samples involving supplies to ships from numerous hydrants
within the docks and to a considerably less extent from water-boats operating inside and outside
the docks, it is apparent that the water service embracing the usage and maintenance of hoses
and associated fittings within the docks warrants attention and action which in fact has already
been initiated.
It would be pointless to continue the promotion of better transport, storage, preparation and
handling of food aboard ship were the purity of the drinking water to be ignored. The values of
both commodities are equally important and for the promotion of health dependent on one another.
SECTION VI— PUBLIC HEALTH (SHIPS) REGULATIONS, 1952
1. List of Infected Areas (Regulation 6) — No change.
2. Radio Messages — No Change.
3. Notification otherwise than by Radio (Regulation 14(l)(b)) — No change.
4. Mooring Stations (Regulations 22 to 30) — No change.
QUARANTINE PROCEDURE AND THE THAMES NAVIGATION SERVICE
To appreciate possible developments in quarantine procedure at Gravesend, which could
result from improved communications, it is desirable to examine certain aspects of the present
practice.
A vessel coming to the Port of London from a "listed" port (i.e. a port actually or periodically
infected with quarantinable disease), or having sickness to declare, has, at present, to be
visited by both the Port Health and the Customs Quarantine Officers.
In the normal course of events the launches of the two Services aiTive alongside in close
succession so that "all are informed". However, if the Boarding Medical Officer completes his
clearance before H.M. Customs' launch arrives, he signifies this in writing on the Declaration of
Health, which is left aboard the ship for the Quarantine Preventive Officer. If the Preventive
Officer "clears" first, he makes out the "Pratique" from the Declaration of Health and then
leaves both documents aboard the ship in an envelope addressed to the Boarding Medical Officer.
It is also usual for the two Services to "call" each other when necessary by blowing "Q" (I
want Port Medical Officer) or "C" (I want Customs) as appropriate.
Operating from their present bases, for both Services to clear a ship by radio it is necessary
for them to have radio-telephonic communication with each other and with the Thames Navigation
Service Operations Room. Also the ship has to be equipped to communicate with the Operations
Room.
It has always been possible for either Service to clear a ship on behalf of the other, provided
this was arranged in advance. To do so "on the spot", a Port Health-Customs radiotelephone
link is required, and, of course, one launch must go to the ship. In this case it is not
necessary for the ship to be equipped.
Should the Port Health Service be based ashore, in addition to the radio-telephone facilities,
it is necessary for the Duty Medical Officer to have ready access from the shore office, adjoining
the Operations Room, to the Boarding launch, so that he may go, without delay, to any ship
having sickness or regarded as a major risk calling for a muster of the crew.
The position at the end of 1959 in regard to these several factors was as follows :—
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