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Public Health (Foreign Meat) Regulations, 1908, came into force on the first of January, 1909.
these dealt with foreign boneless meat, offals containing preservative, and portions of pork under
Classes I, II and III. Official Certificates were recognised for Canada, New Zealand, Denmark
and the Netherlands. There were at this time 176 ships engaged in the foreign meat trade between
the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South America.
In the period up to the outbreak of the First World War there was no new legislation affecting
the duties of the Port Sanitary Inspectors. They were, however, dealing with an increasing number
of ships; there was still plauge, cholera, yellow fever and smallpox endemic in a large number of
countries throughout the world. The occasional ship still arrived with cases of scurvy and beriberi
on board. Ships were bringing into this country a greater variety of foodstuffs of which something
of the order of 10% was found to be unfit for human consumption. There were frequent cases
of adulteration and the addition of so called "preservatives". There was much to be done in the
matter of smoke control and there was, by no means least, the general sanitary control of sea ports.
Commencing in the midrtwenties the public health legislation immediately prior to today's
legislation was introduced. The Preservatives in Food Regulations, 1925, and the Imported Milk
Regulations, 1926, came into force. These were followed by the Public Health Act, 1936, and the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, the Public Health (Imported Food) Regulations, 1937, and the
Food and Drugs Act, 1938. Of this legislation, only the Public Health Act, 1936, remains, the
remainder having been amended or superseded by new legislation updated to meet present day
needs. Prior to 1940, there were only about 11 foods subjected to food standards control. Between
1940 and 1967 there were 36 foods subjected to control and the number has continued to rise ever
since. The number of countries exporting meat and meat products to this country to which "official
certificate" procedure applies has risen from one in 1909 to forty three in 1972. There is also the
additional requirement of the insertion of establishment numbers and "extensions" to official
certificates to permit the importation of certain classes of meat which would otherwise be excluded
as being prohibited meat. The inspection of the lymphatic glands in imported carcase meat
for the presence of disease which commenced in 1900, is still carried out today by Port Health
Inspectors.
The training of Public Health Inspectors has undergone great changes since the early days.
The period of training and the scope of the syllabus covers almost every subject of public health
and many students read for a degree. The acceptibility of the improved qualifications is reflected
in the more recent public health legislation mainly under the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, which
particularly specifies the "authorised officer" as being required to carry out the function, instead
of the Medical Officer, which was the case in earlier legislation. A Medical Officer, of course,
still remains an authorised officer. Another example is contained in the Public He Ith (Ships)
Regulations, 1970, where the main functions of the Medical Officer relate to medical examinations
and the detention of infected ships at quarantine mooring buoys. The remainder of the functions
may be carried out by the authorised officer.
The introduction of the container has revolutionised the shipping and port industry to an
extent not previously visualised. Mammoth ships plough the oceans at speeds hithertoonly associated
with the "blue riband" North Atlantic liners. These ships transport large quantities of
containerised foods, some of which ps prepackaged "convenience" food for sale over the counter.
The final decisions soon to be taken regarding the reorganisation of Local Government and
the health services, in so far as port health functions are concerned, must take into account the
probable result of the redevelopment of ports and the revolution in marine transport as a result of
the introduction of-super tankers, container ships, LASH ships, Ro/Ro ferries and O.B.O.'s. The
overall health requirements necessary to safeguard the health of the inhabitants of the country
must be met, whilst endeavouring not to interfere with the commercial operations of a modern
highly automated port.
The intention to introduce international legislation to direct traffic flow in the English
Channel is the forerunner of port control. Deep draft ships will report their data and requirement
to Port Control. A health message will be part of these data. The Port Health Duty Officer will
be required to signify assent or dissent to entry of the ship. The ship will, if there is no objection
on health or other grounds, be slotted into the arrival programme and from that point onwards, the
safety of the ship and crew will be committed and delegated to Port Control and no-one will be
permitted to interfere with the arrival arrangements of that ship. The issue of "free pratique" is
in future likely to be given by the Port Health Authority at the berth. The Port Health Duty Officer
could, but need not, be a Medical Officer, provided there is always a Medical Officer available on
board or give advice when circumstances require this.
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