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In order that one may have some idea of the amount of canned meat as compared with other
forms of meat imported through the Port of London, I submit the following figures for the year
1963:
(1) Total imported meat including carcase
meat, canned meat, sausages, rabbits
and whalemeat but excluding poultry
and horsemeat 266,352 tons 1 cwt.
(2) Total imported canned meat 69,460 tons 13 cwts.
(3) Total imported corned beef 27,670 tons 3 cwts.
Finally, in order to get the risk of infection from typhoid fever into perspective, it is necessary
to remember that in 1963 all infectious diseases continued to decline as a cause of death
whereas there were marked increases in death rates due to accidental poisoning, cancer of the
lung, motor vehicle accidents and suicide. It is well to remind ourselves that from the standpoint
of mortality in England and Wales, typhoid and paratyphoid fever caused 5 deaths in 1963 whereas
6,351 persons were killed in motor accidents. About four times this number died of cancer of
the lung (24,434) and 5,715 committed suicide.
REFERENCES
1 W.H.O.,(1964). Enteric Infections.
Technical Report Series 288. 7.
2 MINISTRY OF HEALTH,(1954 to 1963).
Annual Reports of Chief Medical Officer.
3 W.H.O.,(1964) Enteric Infections.
Technical Report Series. 288. 19.
4 McCANN, M.B. and CROSS, C., (1956).
Medical Officer. 96. 241.
5 NICOL, G.C.M.,(1956). Monthly Bulletin Min.
of Health. 15.240
6 H.M.S.O., (1964). The Aberdeen Typhoid
Outbreak. Cmnd. 2540. 26.
7 Bradley, w.h. et al, (195D.
J. of Hygiene. 49. 2 and 3. 324.
8 MINISTRY OF HEALTH, (1963). Annual
ReDort of Chief Medical Officer. 57.
9 MIN. OF HEALTH AND THE PUB.HEALTH
LAB. SERVICE,(1964). Monthly Bulletin.
23. 54.
10 MIN. OF HEALTH AND THE PUB.HEALTH
LAB. SERVICE, (1964). Monthly Bulletin.
23. 189.
11 PARRY, W.H., (1963) Brit. Med. J. 2. 1616
12 MINISTRY OF HEALTH, (1963). Annual Report
of Chief Medical Officer.
13 MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND THE PUB.
HEALTH LAB.SERVICE, (1964). Monthly
Bulletin, 23. 193.
14 HUTCHINSON, R.I., (1964). Brit. Med.-J.
I. 479.
15 MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND THE PUB.
HEALTH LAB. SERVICE, (1956).
Monthly Bulletin. 15. 265.
16 PETERS, R.J. AND CLUTTERBACK,
D.H., (1942). Brit.Med. J. 2. 719.
17 MOORE, W.B. et al., (1950) J. Roy. san.
inst. 70, 2. 93
18 SANDIFORD,B.R.,(1954).Monthly
Bulletin Min.of Health. 13.153
19 A.R. MILLER, (2nd edit.). Meat
Hygiene. 346 ff.
20 BASHFORD, T.E. and HERBERT.
D.A. Safeguards Against Microbiological
Infection of Canned
Foods: post-process leakage and
its control.
21 W.H.O. CHRONICLE, (1965)19. 79.
22 The Lancet (1965) i. 426.
2. Association of Sea and Air Port Health Authorities Conference — 2nd July 1965.
THE WATER SUPPLY OF SHIPS
Introduction
In former times water was a major source of illness in ships. This was inevitable as rain
was the main source of drinking water being collected unhygienically as the voyage progressed.
It was stored in casks. Before 1772 it was considered desirable that water should be boiled
before being issued. It was not however till that year that the Admiralty directed that all men-ofwar
be fitted with stills. Subsequently illness due to impure water began to decrease. In 1815
a start was made in the replacement of casks for drinking water by iron tanks. From then onwards
rapid progress was made.
At the present time the water supply of ships is, for the most part, satisfactory. The incidence
of water borne disease, at least in home waters is minimal. On the other hand the distribution
of the water supply in some ships may be unnecessarily complicated and especially on this
account give many opportunities for human errors which result in contamination of the supply. In
addition, although the official recommendations are fairly comprehensive the regulations are not
so but contain many exemptions. On this account it is very necessary for Medical Officers of
Health to maintain constant vigilance by their Port Health Inspectors.
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