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 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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TABLE D (i)
| Cases landed from ships | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Disease | Passengers | Crew | Number of Ships concerned |
| Chickenpox | 12 | 3 | 8 |
| Dysentery | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Fever of Unknown Origin | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Gastro-Enteritis | — | 9 | 5 |
| Infectious Hepatitis | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Influenza | 1 | 23 | 10 |
| Malaria | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Measles .. | 13 | 2 | 9 |
| Miscellaneous | 2 | 26 | 24 |
| Mumps | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Pneumonia | 4 | — | 3 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 4 | 33 | 34 |
| Scarlet Fever | - | 1 | 1 |
| Typhoid Fever | - | 3 | 3 |
| TOTALS | 49 | 122 | |
TABLE D (ii)
Cases disposed of before arrival
| Disease | Passengers | Crew | Number of Ships concerned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chickenpox | 36 | 2 | 18 |
| Dysentery | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Gastro-Enteritis | 9 | 1 | 3 |
| Fever of Unknown Origin | 1 | — | 1 |
| German Measles | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Infectious Hepatitis | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Influenza | 64 | 42 | 5 |
| Malaria | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| Measles | 46 | 2 | 13 |
| Miscellaneous | 9 | 2 | 4 |
| Mumps | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Pneumonia | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Poliomyelitis | 1 | - | 1 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Scarlet Fever | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Typhoid Fever | - | 2 | 2 |
| TOTALS | 186 | 77 | ~83 |
DENTON HOSPITAL
Although Denton Hospital has been taken over by the South East Metropolitan Regional Hospital
Board under the National Health Services Act, the Port Health Authority continues to exercise,
through Dr. H.M. Willoughby, the Deputy Medical Officer, and the Assistant Port Medical
Officers, the medical supervision of cases admitted to the hospital. The nursing and administrative
control lies with the Dartford Hospital Management Committee.
Consultant advice on difficult cases is available through Dr. J. Pickford Marsden, PhysicianSuperintendent
of Joyce Green Hospital, Dartford, who whenever necessary transfers cases there
for special investigation and treatment.
Early in 1959 Long Reach Hospital, the smallpox hospital at Dartford, was out of action
owing to serious drainage trouble and it was decided by the South-East Metropolitan Regional
Board that Denton Hospital must become the first line smallpox hospital for the area, i.e. County
of Kent, East Sussex, Brighton, Canterbury, Eastbourne, and certain Metropolitan Boroughs, comprising
a population of over three million.
Denton Hospital was in consequence closed for all purposes, except the reception of smallpox
patients and the disinfection of bedding, from 20th February till 11th May 1959. During this
time cases of infectious disease were admitted to the Thurrock Isolation Hospital, Joyce Green
Hospital, and, by arrangement with the emergency Bed Service, to other hospitals in the vicinity
of the River and docks.
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