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section vii
SMALLPOX
1. Name of Isolation Hospital to which smallpox cases are sent from the District.
Long Reach Hospital is situated on the south bank of the River Thames about eight miles
above Gravesend. The hospital consists of 10 ward blocks capable of accommodating 170
patients but, except in cases of emergency, only three ward blocks (2 of 20 beds and 1, a cubicle
ward of 10 beds), total 50 beds, are kept available for immediate use. The hospital includes
residential quarters for the staff and a laundry, although the administration and staffing is
carried out from Joyce Green Hospital, Dartford.
2. Arrangements for transport of such cases to that hospital by ambulance giving the name of
the Authority responsible for the ambulance and the vaccinal state of the ambulance crews.
A case or cases of smallpox would be removed from the vessel by this Authority's Ambulance
launch and conveyed ashore via the pontoon at Denton and from thence conveyed by road
ambulance direct to Long Reach Hospital.
The Port Health Authority would be responsible for the vaccinal state of their Ambula ice
Launch crews, while the vaccinal state of the Road Ambulance personnel would be the concern
of the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board under whose jurisdiction both Joyce
Green and Long Reach Hospitals fall.
3. Names of smallpox consultants available.
Dr. J.V. Armstrong Dr. H.S. Banks Dr. W.T.G. Boul
Dr. W.J. Coughlan Dr. J.P. Marsden
4. Facilities for laboratory diagnosis of smallpox.
Facilities are available at the Virus Laboratory at the Central Public Health Laboratory
at Colindale.
sectionVIII
VENEREAL DISEASE
Venereal Disease is not compulsorily notifiable to Medical Officers of Health but efforts are
made both by the Boarding Medical Officers and the Port Health Inspectors to bring to the notice
of seamen using the port the facilities available for free treatment and the importance of obtaining
skilled treatment as early as possible.
Should there be a known case, it is usually possible to arrange for the patient concerned to
be taken at once to the nearest clinic of the Seamen's Hospital or other hospital in the vicinity
of the ship.