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 1966
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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counter-signed by the Master and by the ship's surgeon, if carried, to be produced on the arrival
of the ship in the Port.
SECTION VIII
VENEREAL DISEASE
NO CHANGE
SECTION IX
CASES OF NOTIFIABLE AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES ON SHIPS
TABLE D
Category —
Cases landed from ships from foreign ports.
| Disease | Passengers | Crew | No. of ships concerned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chickenpox | 2 | 17 | 15 |
| Dysentery | — | 3 | 3 |
| Glandular Fever | — | 1 | 1 |
| Infective Hepatitis | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Influenza | 1 | 13 | 6 |
| Leprosy | — | 1 | 1 |
| Measles | 12 | 3 | 11 |
| Miscellaneous | — | 19 | 13 |
| Mumps | 10 | — | 7 |
| Pneumonia | 4 | — | 4 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 3 | 16 | 18 |
| Pyrexia of Unknown Origin | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Scabies | - | 6 | 6 |
| Tonsillitis | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Typhoid or Paratyphoid Fever | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| TOTALS | 40 | 100 | 113 |
Cases which have occurred on ships from foreign ports but have been disposed of before arrival.
| Disease | Passengers | Crew | No. of ships concerned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chickenpox | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Dysentery | — | 2 | 1 |
| Encephalitis | 1 | — | 1 |
| Enteritis | — | 3 | 3 |
| Gastro-Enteritis | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| Infective Hepatitis | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Measles | 27 | - | 3 |
| Mumps | 4 | ..... | 2 |
| Pneumonia | _ | 1 | 1 |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | — | 3 | 1 |
| Typhoid or Paratyphoid | - | 2 | 2 |
| TOTALS 51 | 24 |
LEPROSY IN SEAMEN
In November a notification of Leprosy was received from Seamen's Hospital in respect of a
Seaman. Date of onset was given as February, 1966, but the Seaman had been referred by the
Ship's Surgeon to the Dermatology Unit only in late October, 1966, and was admitted at that
time. He had not been reported as sick on arrival in the Port.
He had had a rash for some eight months. Investigation showed that the man was a general
servant working in passengers cabins. Fortunately the case was tuberculoid in type and, therefore,
of very slight, if any, infectivity.
TYPHOID FEVER
(1) A seaman was admitted to Denton Hospital on the 30th April from a ship inward bounc
from West African Ports. The provisional diagnosis on admission was P.U.O (?) malaria but the
case was subsequently diagnosed as typhoid fever. Thorough investigations were carried out in
the case of African and European crew members remaining on board whilst the vessel was in dock
and Medical Officers of Health of the various areas to which the other seamen had gone on
9.