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A firm of fishermen and trawler owners: Messrs. Gilsons of Southend-on-Sea, converted
their boat M.F.V. "John Patrick" for Cockle Dredging and requested permission for the cockles
dredged from the Thames Estuary to be cleansed, as required by the 1936 Order, at Boston,
Lincolnshire.
A few sample shipments were allowed forward with the approval of the Public Health Department,
Borough of Boston, for experimental purposes.
Shortly after commencing operations however, Messrs. Gilsons arranged for sterilisation to
be carried out by one of the local cockle merchants: G. Meddle, who has operated one of the
Leigh Sheds for many years, and this procedure enabled them to fall into line with that operated
by all the other Leigh cockle merchants.
There were no reports during the year of sickness attributable to the consumption of cockles
sterilised in the Leigh Sheds.
SECTION XV
MEDiCAL INSPECTION OF ALIENS AND COMMONWEALTH IMMIGRANTS
1. List of Medical Inspectors holding warrants of appointment at the 31st December, 1971:-
Dr. W.G. Swann, Dr. D.T. Jones, Dr. W. Stott, Dr. A.E.L. de Thierry, Dr. W.T. Rougier Chapman,
Dr. G.W. Aston, Dr. R.F. Armstrong, Dr. R.G.S. Whitfield, Dr. R.M. Best, Dr. J.V.M. Heslop,
Dr. W.T.G. Boul, Dr. D.J. Avery, Dr. D. Keys, Dr. P.J.R. Walters.
2. List of other staff engaged on the work:Clerical
staff at the central office.
3. Organisation of the work:—
Aliens and Commonwealth Immigrants are examined by one of the above panel of doctors, at
the request of an Immigration Officer. The majority of ships carrying immigrants are dealt with
by the Boarding Medical Officer, but a part-time Medical Inspector may be called in to deal with a
particular ship.
4. Alien Arrivals
(a) Total number of arriving ships carrying aliens 1,845
(b) Total number of aliens —
(i) arriving at the port 49,578
(ii) medically examined 307
(c) Certificates issued 3
Commonwealth Immigrant Arrivals
(a) Commonwealth citizens subject to control 1,743
(b) Commonwealth citizens examined 3
(c) Certificates issued NIL
5. Medical examination of Aliens and Commonwealth Immigrants is carried out on board ship.
SECTION XVI
MISCELLANEOUS
Arrangements for the burial on shore of persons who have died on board ship from infectious
disease.
The body of any person dying on board ship, or in Denton Hospital, from infectious disease
would normally be removed from the ship or Denton Hospital for burial by a Private Undertaker
acting on the instructions of the shipping company or the next-of-kin, the local police being kept
informed.
In the event of the death being one of smallpox, special instructions as to precautions to be
taken would be given to the undertaker by the Port Health Authority.
THE CLEAN AIR ACTS 1956 AND 1968
THE DARK SMOKE (PERMITTED PERIODS ) (VESSELS)
REGULATIONS 1958
It has been found that formal smoke observations are very time consuming and often in the end
do not necessarily establish evidence that an apparent contravention of the Regulations has been
committed. It is the policy, therefore, of the Authority to seek the co-operation of shipmasters to
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