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The Directions and Requirements on pages 3 and 4 of the Declaration of Health (applying
only to the Port of London) on December 31, 1971 were as follows:—
"PUBLIC HEALTH (SHIPS) REGULATIONS, 1970
DIRECTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
These directions and requirements are made by the Medical Officer of Health for the Port and
City of London in pursuance of the Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1970 and compliance therewith
is required by virtue of Regulation 36 of the said Regulations.
TO THE MASTER OF ANY SHIP APPROACHING THE
PORT OF LONDON FROM A FOREIGN PORT
1. You should ascertain the state of health of all persons on board.
2. If you have any doubts or difficulties over Port Health Regulations you should obtain advice
direct from the Port Medical Officer, through the Thames Navigation Service (V.H.F. R/T). It is
also possible for ships without V.H.F. R/T to consult the Medical Officer through North Foreland
Radio Station.
3. You must complete, sign and deliver the foregoing Maritime Declaration of Health unless your
ship has during the last four weeks been only to excepted ports, namely, ports within the territory
of Belgium, Metropolitan France, Greece, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
and the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man and has not met a ship
from a foreign port other than an excepted port or has already been cleared at a port in the United
Kingdom. Make sure that all parts, including the Schedule, are completed and that it is countersigned
by the ship's surgeon if one is carried.
4. If:-
(1) the answer to all the questions on page 1 is "no";
(2) your ship has NOT during the last four weeks been in any port in all Asia, Africa (including
transit through the Suez Canal), the Americas (excluding the U.S.A., Canada and
transit through the Panama Canal) or any area infected with plague, cholera, yellow fever
or smallpox (a list of such places is available from the Port Medical Officer - See 2
above; and
(3) your ship has not during the last four weeks met a ship from such a port or area,
your ship will not normally be boarded by a doctor, and you need not send a radio signal to
to the Port Health Authority, but you must show the following signals:—
(a) between sunrise and sunset the international flag signal "Q" flown at the mast head
or where it can best be seen from the shore; and
(b) between sunset and sunrise a signal consisting of a red light over a white light.
These lights should only be about 2 metres (six feet) apart and should be visible all
round the horizon as nearly as possible.
Such signals to be shown from No. 1 Sea Reach Buoy (or No. 1 Mucking Buoy if berthing
up-river of that Buoy) until the ship is granted free pratique in writing by an authorised
officer of the Port Health Authority or by an officer of H.M. Customs.
5. If the answer to any question on page 1 is "Yes" OR if your ship has, during the last four
weeks, been in any port in all Asia, Africa (including transit through the Suez Canal), the Americas
(excluding the U.S.A., Canada, and transit through the Panama Canal) or any area infected with
plague, cholera, yellow fever or smallpox, or has met a ship from such a port or area, you will
need health clearance by the Boarding Medical Officer and you must
(A) send a RADIO MESSAGE to "PORTELTH LONDON" stating
(1) the name of the Ship,
(2) the expected time of arrival at No. 1 Mucking Buoy. If your ship is berthing or anchoring
below No. 1 Mucking Buoy, give the expected time of arrival and the name of the
berth or anchorage,
(3) the age and sex of each person on board who is ill and your best estimate of what is
wrong in each case.
This message must be sent not more than 12 hours and whenever practicable not less
than four hours before the expected time of arrival.
(B) show the following signals:—
(a) between sunrise and sunsetthe international flag signal "QQ" flown at the mast
head or where it can best be seen from the shore; and
(b) between sunset and sunrise a signal consisting of a red light over a white light.
These lights should only be about two metres (six feet) apart, and should be
visible all round the horizon as nearly as possible.
Such signals to be shown from No. 1 Sea Reach Buoy (or No. 1 Mucking Buoy if berthing
up-river of that Buoy) until the ship is granted free pratique in writing by an
authorised officer of the Port Health Authority, or by an officer of H.M. Customs.
(C) have a list of passengers and crew ready to hand to the Authorised Officer or an Officer
of H.M. Customs giving addresses of immediate destination in the United Kingdom.
6.(a)If your ship is berthing up-river of No. 1 Mucking Buoy, and you require the attention of the
Boarding Medical Officer(see para. 5), he will board, normally, in the Lower Hope Reach. To avoid
delay to your ship you should:
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