36. SANITARY. REPORT, PORT OF LONDON SANITARY COMMITTEE, with the HALF-YEARLY REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE PORT OF LONDON, To 30th June, 1891. Presented 1st October, 1891. PLON 17 36 SANITARY. REPORT. PORT OP LONDON SANITARY COMMITTEE. WITH THE HALF-YEARLY REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE PORT OF LONDON, To 30th June, 1891. Presented 1st October, 1891. b SAVORY, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London, on Thursday, the day of October, 1891. THE Port of London Sanitary Committee did this day deliver into this Court a Report in writing, under their hands, with Half-yearly Report of the Medical Officer of Health to the 30th June, 1891; which was read. Resolved, That the consideration thereof be adjourned, and it is Ordered that the Report be printed and a copy sent to every Member of this Court. MONCKTON. To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled. WE whose names are hereunto subscribed, of your Port of London Sanitary Committee, to whom it has been referred to carry into execution the Public Health Acts, 1872 and 1875, beg to submit for the consideration of your Honourable Court the Report of Dr. William Collingridge, the Medical Officer of Health of the Port of London for the Halfyear, ending 30th June, 1891, which Report contains a full and detailed account of the work done during that period in the Port of London by the Medical Officer of Health and the Inspectors. b 2 4 In the Report will also be found, among other matters, interesting information in connection with:— (1) Small-pox and other Infectious Diseases. (2) The Hospital. (3) The Shipping Federation. (4) The Training Ships and the River. (5) Nuisances. (6) Atlantic Cattle Steamers. Your Committee note with satisfaction the almost entire freedom of London from small-pox during the past half-year, only two cases having been brought into the Port during that period. In his remarks with reference to Training Ships Dr. Collingridge refers to a case of enteric fever which occurred on board the "Arethusa," and which, in the absence of any definite cause, the Medical Officer of the Ship was inclined to attribute to the polluted state of the river. Although the purification of the river is not a matter that comes within the duties of the Port of London Sanitary Authority, your Committee continue to watch the subject, and have from time to time been furnished by the Medical Officer of the Port with reports as to the condition of the river water, extracts from which we have forwarded to the authorities concerned. Early in the present year, Sir Benjamin Baker and Mr. Binnie, the Engineer of the London County Council, reported at considerable length to the Council as to the treatment of the sewage. The summary of the report and conclusions, which are of great public interest are set out by the Medical Officer in his Report. All which we submit to the judgment of this Honourable Court. Dated this twenty-second day of September, 1891. Geo. H. Edmonds. Frank Tayler. Geo. T. Thornes. W. G. Howard. W. Courtney, Junr. T. G. Beatley. Daniel Greenaway. J. N. Pimm. INDEX. Page Introductory - 7 Small-Pox 9 Other Infectious Diseases 11 The Hospital 12 The Shipping Federation 13 Training Ships17 Nuisances 21 Cattle Steamers 22 Canvey Island 27 Unsound Meat and Food 28 PORT OF LONDON SANITARY OFFICES, GREENWICH. 1st July, 1891. TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE PORT OF LONDON SANITARY COMMITTEE. Gentlemen, Herewith I beg to submit some brief particulars of the work carried out in the Port of London by your officers during the first six months of the current year. During this period 7608 vessels were inspected, 1,985 of these were lying in the river, 1,395 in the Grave send or lower district, and the remainder in the various docks. These figures show a slight increase on those for the corresponding half of 1890, and may fairly indicate a more settled and satisfactory condition of the trade of the Port. Of the whole number only 213 (=2.7 per cent.) required cleansing in any form. This is an extremely small percentage, and, moreover, a diminishing one, a satisfactory indication of the value of steady and continuous pressure by the officers of the various Port Sanitary Authorities of the kingdom. Out of 7608, no fewer than 6,675 (=87.73 per cent.) carried the British flag. By reference to Appendix E it will be seen that 225 structural alterations, affecting 176 vessels, have been made during the six months for improvement of their sanitary condition, while 95 others which were ordered are not yet known to have been carried out. Seventy-four of these completed affected ventilation, and 142 the lighting and heating of crew's quarters, while nine related to the storage of water. Most of these alterations ought not to have been required, and much inconvenience is caused to owners and masters by the necessity for them. 8 There is no law requiring the designs of a vessel to be submitted for approval to the officers of a Port Sanitary Authority, and, at present, owners are not sufficiently alive to the importance of obtaining advice on sanitary arrangements. As a consequence it is often found that a new ship requires some important alterations involving delay and expense. It certainly is quite as necessary in a ship as in a house (if not more so) to have the details of sanitary arrangements properly attended to, and the only satisfactory way to obtain this is by legislation on the subject. One other important point in connection with this subject is the cubic space allowed by the Merchant Shipping Act for seamen. This is governed by section nine of the Merchant Shipping Amendment Act of 1867, which enacts, inter alia, that every place in any ship occupied by seamen or apprentices and appropriated to their use shall have for every such seaman or apprentice a space of not less than 72 cubic feet, and of not less than 12 superficial feet measured on the floor or deck of such place, while by special Act, Lascars and natives of East India are entitled to onehalf only of this cubic space ! Under the most favourable conditions as regards lighting and ventilation, and taking into consideration the fact that the whole of the crew do not sleep in the forecastle at the same time, this space is certainly too small. This is so thoroughly recognised by all owners who study the welfare of their crews that, practically, their forecastles never carry the full number for which they are certified by the Board of Trade, while on the other hand the indifferent or careless owner will look only to the number which the space is certified to accommodate. However crowded a forecastle may be, no action can be taken as long as the space will allow of the 72 feet per head. It certainly is time to take this question into consideration with a view to raising the minimum. One hundred feet per head does not appear to be at all too large an allowance, and its provision is not likely to meet with serious opposition from the majority of shipowners, if it is to affect new vessels only, and not made retrospective. The Lascar minimum of 36 feet is simply absurd, and should certainly be largely increased. The custom which the natives have of carrying with them a large chest renders their case a more serious one. These chests (one to each man) frequently measure 8, 10, and even 12 cubic feet, and form a continuous layer over the floor of the forecastle, thereby at once reducing the height by from 18 inches to two feet. Thus before the native enters his quarters one-third of his cubic air space is lost, and he has to live and move in 24 cubic feet, with the additional 9 difficulty of interference with ventilation, and the almost utter impossibility of cleanliness. I have endeavoured to deal with this matter to a certain extent by urging the Indian Government to make some regulation with regard to the size of these chests one of the articles of the agreement in hiring native crews, but am fully alive to the fact that this is only one step in the right direction, and that the only satisfactory one would be to increase the cubic space. The contracts with native crews are all made at the three ports in India, and therefore no action can be taken in this country. SMALL-POX. The almost complete absence of small-pox from London naturally increases the importance of watching to prevent the introduction of cases from without, and at the same time allows of tracing the result of each individual infection with tolerable certainty. There have been two cases only brought into the Port during the half-year. On the 30th December the steam ship "London" arrived in London from Lisbon. The engineer's steward was in hospital at that port from the 16th to 24th, before he joined the vessel, suffering from some non-infectious disease. He took his discharge in London and went to live in Shadwell. On the 5th January he was taken to the Metropolitan Asylum Boards Hospital, and the case reported by the Medical Officer of Health for the District. The vessel was at once fumigated and the bedding burned. On inquiry it was found that there were cases of small-pox in the hospital at the time this man was an in-patient, and that this mixing of infectious and non-infectious diseases was the rule of the establishment. The attention of the British Yice-Consul at Lisbon was therefore called to this constant source of infection with the result that he reported later that, through his intervention, this dangerous practice had been discontinued. This was the third case traced to this one hospital. On the 25th March the "Royal Alice" on arrival from Rio de Janeiro reported having had seven cases of small-pox on the homeward voyage, four of which terminated fatally. c 10 The vessel had been lying at the upper end of Rio Harbour, about a quarter of a mile from a small island on which the small-pox hospital was built. During her stay in the harbour six small-pox patients were buried on the island, and the sailors were in the habit of watching the burning of the dead men's clothes on the shore. In the evening the wind veered to the westward (land breeze), and the vessel was to leeward of the hospital. On the 26th June she left Rio in ballast, and 12 days later a seaman developed small-pox. He had not left the ship at Rio, but had acted as night watchman, and was therefore on deck during the time the land breeze prevailed. Two other cases followed 15 days later, and four others at intervals of two or three days. There was then an interval of 18 days when the last patient was attacked. This is a most interesting case, as showing almost to a certainty the conveyance of small-pox contagion by wind for a distance of at least a quarter of a mile. On 7th May a case of small-pox was removed to the Port Sanitary Hospital, from the steam ship "Brazilian" She left Buenos Ayres on the 7th April, small-pox being rife there at that time, and the patient was taken ill on the 19th of the same month and isolated, first in the ship's hospital, and afterwards in a lifeboat on the bridge. The case was an extremely severe confluent one, and the patient stated that he had never been vaccinated. According to custom, vaccination was at once offered to the crew, and, as usual, refused. The vessel was fumigated and left London on 16th May, arriving at Montreal on 6th June. On the 19th May the Captain was attacked (12 days after removal of first case), on the 23rd the Fourth Engineer, and an apprentice on the 26th, all clearly infected by the man removed. These three were all isolated in the saloon, and taken to St. Laurence Quarantine Station on the 30th May. Here the crew were re-vaccinated compulsorily (the power to order this unfortunately not existing in this country), and the vessel detained six days for disinfection. She reached Montreal on 6 th June, on the 7th the Steward was attacked and sent to hospital. Leaving Montreal on homeward voyage on 11th June, the engineer and. 11 apprentice were taken on board as convalescent. Foul days later the apprentice was again taken ill with what was reported to be a second attack of small pox ( ?), and died a week later. All the infected bedding was burned, and the clothing disinfected on arrival at Gravesend on 24th June. It is quite clear from the history that all the subsequent cases could be traced to the first, and it is moreover morally certain that, had the proferred vaccination been accepted, all this trouble would have been saved. This was pointed out officially to the owners of the vessel. OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES. On the 20th January the steam ship "Tenasserim" on arrival reported having had enteric fever on board during the voyage. The patient was convalescent, and no action was taken beyond fumigation. On the 9th March the steam ship "Cuzco" came in, having had a fatal case of enteric fever during the voyage. He had been treated in the ship's hospital, which was therefore fumigated. On 31st March a patient recovering from enteric fever, but still infectious, was removed to the Port Sanitary Hospital from the steam ship " Garth Castle." He had been infected at the Cape. Greatly benefitting by change to hospital and careful nursing, he was allowed to go home when no longer considered dangerous. After removal he unfortunately became worse and died. The relatives objected to his removal to hospital, and considered that he had suffered therefrom. This case was fully investigated by your Worshipful Committee, and it was clearly shown that the proper course of removal of an infectious patient for the benefit of the public had been carried out, and that the patient's chance greatly improved thereby. On the 28th April a seaman was taken to the Seamen's Hospital from the barque "Ingomar," lying in the Millwall Dock. On the 30th it was diagnosed as enteric fever, and reported to your Medical Officer. c 2 12 On visiting the vessel a case of erysipelas was found on board and at once removed, fumigation being carried out. The Master had failed to report it through ignorance of the nature of the disease, and no further action was therefore taken in the matter. On the 13th May the ship "Hatton Hall" reported having had five cases of enteric fever on the homeward voyage. They were all convalescent on arrival, and no action was considered necessary. During the six months six cases of measles occurred on Canvey Island, and eight on Great Potton. The infection was derived from the schools. Thirty-three cases of measles were reported on board vessels arriving in London, the infection in all being traceable to Calcutta. [See Appendix G.] Two others were taken to the Port Sanitarv Hospital from an outwardbound vessel. THE HOSPITAL. The Committees of the training ships "Shaftesbury" and "Worcester" petitioned the Court of Common Council to be permitted to arrange with the Port Sanitary Committee for the reception in their Gravesend Hospital of any cases of infectious diseases occurring among the boys under their charge. In the Public Health Bill now before the House of Lords a clause provides for the inclusion of the "Shaftesbury" within the limits of the Metropolitan Asylums Boards for the purpose of dealing with infectious disease. When this measure becomes law the " Shaftesbury " will therefore be provided for. After mature consideration your Worshipful Committee decided to recommend to the Court of Common Council that the prayer of the petition of the "Worcester" be not complied with, and this has been since agreed to. Thus the vessel is left with no provision for the isolation of infectious disease, and with apparently no opportunity of obtaining any. The Port Sanitary Authority compels every case of infectious disease to be removed from the ship under the provisions of the Public Health Act as being absolutely necessary for the safety of the other inmates of the ship. It is more difficult to isolate infection on board ship than in any building on shore. Up to the present time attempts to obtain any house on shore as an isolation hospital have proved unsuccessful. 13 With regard to the hospital arrangements for the Port, as I have repeatedly pointed out, it is still obviously and dangerously incomplete, since it lacks separate and distinct accommodation for small-pox apart from other infectious cases. This is an absolutely necessary provision, inasmuch as it is not justifiable to treat other diseases under the same roof with small-pox. The only safe plan would be to build a small and inexpensive ward, to contain four or six beds, at a safe distance from the other buildings, to be used for treatment of small-pox only. The experience of the present buildings leads to the conclusion that this erection should be of as light a construction as possible, on a platform raised two or three feet above the ground. Unless such ward be provided, sooner or later trouble is almost certain to occur from the extension of disease. THE SHIPPING FEDERATION. The early part of the year was marked by a severe struggle between shipowners and dock labourers. Those owners who refused to work with the Union were under the necessity of housing their free labourers within the dock premises, and accordingly several ships and sheds were fitted to accommodate them. The Port Sanitary obviously had no concern in the cause of the struggle, nor in the rights of the respective contentions, but simply in the control of the sanitary arrangements and administration. At the first the steam ship "Scotland" was fitted without any reference to your officers, and was then believed to be only a temporary shelter. As soon, however, as it was found that the housing would have to be continued for weeks or even months, the Authorities were informed that, inasmuch as these vessels were within the jurisdiction of the Corporation, a grave responsibility would rest upon its officers if disease should appear among their inhabitants in consequence of neglect of proper sanitary precautions. . The Shipping Federation, realising that such an event would be absolutely disastrous, at once agreed to follow in every detail the instructions of your officers, and thus part with their responsibility to a, great extent. This threw a large amount of novel and anxious work upon your staff. 14 In each case the plans were submitted before being carried out, and the utmost amount of cubic space given per head. All the details of ventilation, lighting, warming, and lavatory accommodation were settled. When completed and in use, the whole of the quarters, whether on board or on shore, were daily visited, and their sanitary condition carefully watched. In all 1,392 berths were occupied, and it is satisfactory to note that every suggestion was at once carried out, that the accommodation throughout was ample and excellent, and finally, that no infectious disease of any kind appeared. These details are so interesting that I give them briefly below. The "Lady Jocelyn," an iron spar-decked sailing ship of 2,138 tons (built in 1852), was used from 13th February to 3rd April. Twenty-five labourers were at first lodged in the forecastle and adjoining petty officers' cabins, and the purser, paymaster, and the Metropolitan Police found accommodation in the saloon and state-rooms. As the number of men increased, greater space was required, and the after tween decks fitted up for 114 men. The greatest number that slept on board at one time was 110. Lavatory accommodation was provided on the spar deck in a speciallyconstructed house. Latrine convenience was found in one of the Dock Company's public closets. Light and air were admitted by two hatchways and twelve side scuttles, equal to 62 square feet. The space in forecastle and saloon was ample, and the measurement of after 'tween decks showed— 2,976 feet floor space = 26 square feet per head. 22,320 cubic feet = 196 cubic feet per head. Heat was provided by two slow combustion stoves. Steam ship "Scotland," an iron screw steamer of 1,694 tons (built in 1869), was used from 20th December, 1890, to 10th April, 1891. The entire 'tween deck space was cleaned and limewashed and bunks erected for 200 men. Extra bunks were added from time to time, till the total reached 416. The same space had been used for the accommodation of 700 emigrants. 15 The staff (about 40) were lodged in the saloon and forecastle, the police in the after state-rooms. Lavatory accommodation was provided in two houses specially constructed on the main deck. Latrines were erected on shore abreast of the gangway, these were supplied daily with dry lime, and emptied fortnightly. Light and air were admitted by three large hatches, three ventilators, and 35 side scuttles, equal to an area of 399 square feet. The total floor space of 'tween decks was 8,615 square feet, giving 20 feet, and the cubic space, 64,612 = 155 cubic feet per head. Warming was effected by four stoves. The largest number sleeping on board on any night was 455, including staff. The steam ship "Almora," an iron screw steamer of 1,719 tons, was used from 23rd February to 12th March. The 'tween decks were cleaned and the space was fitted for 250 men. About 30 were lodged in the forecastle, while the staff and police were accommodated in the second class cabin and the saloon aft. The greatest number at any one time was 255, including staff. Lavatory accommodation was provided in a specially-erected house on the starboard side of the main deck, while the labourers used the latrines originally put up for the steam ship "Scotland." Light and air were admitted by three hatches, five ventilators, and 45 side scuttles, with a total area of 328 square feet. The space in forecastle and second class cabins was far in excess of the required amount, and measurement of 'tween decks gave the following result:— 6,032 square feet ÷250 = 24 square feet per head, 44,024 cubic feet ÷250 = 176 cubic feet per head. Warming was provided for by six large stoves, four of which were slow combustion. No. 37 shed, an iron building with slated wooden roof, 180 feet long, 55 feet wide, 12 feet to eaves and 24 feet to ridge of roof. Having been used for storage of wheat it was cleared out and limewashed throughout, and on 25th February it was fitted up for free labourers, of whom 150 slept in iron berths. 16 Berths for 480 were finally erected, in addition to the staff" and police lodgings. The largest number on any one night wTas 375 and the shed was used as a labourers' depot until 17th July, 1891. Three latrines were constructed at a convenient distance outside the building, and a lavatory with 40 basins was built alongside. Light and air were admitted through 480 square feet of glazed window in the roof and the doors, each 12 feet by 12 feet, and eight in number. The warming was effected by eight very large slow combustion stoves and two smaller ones. The space available was as follows 9,900 square feet -f- 502 = 19^ square feet, and 178,200 cubic feet -r502 = 355 cubic feet per head, or for the actual number living therein 26 square feet and 475 cubic feet per head. The Manor Way Shed, a galvanized iron shed, was formerly used as a dock office and store. The first floor (sail loft) was converted into a dormitory, and the ground floor was used for staff, police, kitchen, and refectory. This building was first used for this purpose on 16th February, and continued in use until the 13th March. A lavatory was built at the end of the building, and latrines at a convenient distance outside. Light was admitted to dormitory through 360 square feet of glass in roof, and air was circulated by a large door at either end. On the ground space arrangements were made for the admission of ample light and air. The floor space in dormitory was only 1,800 square feet, which, with 110 berths, gave only 16 square feet per man, but 78 was the largest number sleeping therein at one time, which number allowed 23 square feet, while the cubic space for the same number was 253 cubic feet per head. Heating was effected by means of an open fire-place. The steam ship " Taurus " was also fitted for free labourers on the river, but in consequence of the settlement of the troubles, was never used. Accommodation was provided in the 'tween decks for 194 men—108 forwTard and 86 aft. The space in the fore 'tween decks was 21 square and 147 cubic feet per head, and in the after space 23 square and 161 cubic feet. Free ventilation and ample light were provided. 17 . In the Tilbury Docks the steam ship "Chimborazo" was fitted up, but, fortunately, she also was not required. Bunks were provided for 57 men, allowing for each 32.5 square feet and 260 cubic feet per head. As far as practicable the same arrangements were made in each case, the amount of cubic space per head in no instance falling below 155 cubic feet (and this only for a short time during which special arrangements were made for ventilation), and reaching as high as 475 cubic feet. It was felt that a grave responsibility rested on your officers if anything approaching overcrowding were permitted, while at the same time any unfair restriction would have simply put obstacles in the way of the Federation. The berths were erected in small blocks, and in such a manner as to allow of a free circulation of air all round. The beds and bedding were daily inspected, and renewed at regular intervals, the old ones being destroyed by fire within the Dock Company's premises. Moreover, to guard against the danger of infectious disease the Federation Committee were advised to appoint a Medical Officer of their own, whose special duty it should be to visit all the ships and sheds daily, and see all men reported "sick." This recommendation was at once carried into effect, and was continued as long as required. Much of this extra work fell upon your senior Inspector, Spadaccini, and I have pleasure in calling attention to the earnest and zealous way in which he carried out this duty, not only by day, but also by night. TRAINING SHIPS. Considering the age of the inmates (as especially liable to infectious diseases) and the condition of the river, the health of these vessels has been exceptionally good. One case only of enteric fever has been reported on the "Arethusa," lying off Greenhithe. In the absence of any other definite cause the Medical Officer of the ship is inclined to attribute this case to the filthy state of the river. It would be hard to prove this, but it is perfectly certain that the present condition of things is fully sufficient to cause serious ill health. D 18 From time to time the public are informed of the cost incurred in carrying out the scheme of precipitation, and the removal of the resultant sludge to sea in specially-constructed steam vessels. Nevertheless, the nuisance continues, varying in degree according to climatic influences. In cold weather it is perhaps scarcely noticeable, the colour of the water being the only evidence of the presence of sewage. Two or three warm days, however, are quite sufficient to change all this. The water becomes more discoloured—the well-known black patches appear —and the foul and loathsome smell of stale and decomposing sewage is again complained of by everyone whose business takes him on the river between Greenwich and Greenhithe. This is an old story, and one that, by constant repetition, has become wearisome to the public, who do not realise the existence of so foul and abominable a state of things, which is not only a disgusting nuisance, but also a standing disgrace to our nineteenth century civilization. The London County Council have had the question under consideration, and a very serious and costly problem it has proved. They have inherited an evil legacy, and cannot be reasonably expected to throw away the money already expended on an experiment which is not yet even complete, and which cannot therefore be considered as tried, even although it was known to be a useless and inefficacious plan before commenced. The Report of Sir Benjamin Baker and Mr. Binnie, to whom the matter was referred, was published in February last. "They admit the fact that, in the heart of the metropolis, a certain amount "of sewage pollution is inevitable, and that it would be hopeless, as it is "happily unnecessary, to attempt to get a chemically pure river in the lower " reaches." " Sewage must therefore continue to be discharged into the Thames at the "different storm overflows, and all idea of a theoretically pure river must "necessarily be abandoned." This report shows that up to the time of issue 525,000/. had been expended in works and ships, and at Crossness an outlay of 330,000/. had been authorised. In addition to this initial charge, the cost of treatment is calculated at 27s. 9d. per million gallons, or about 140/. per day at the Northern outfall, and 21l. per day at the Southern outfall, which latter amount, when the works are finished, wall be increased to about 100/. per day. 19 The whole report is so valuable and important that I quote in full the Summary and Conclusions :— "Summary of Report and Conclusions. (1.) The questions submitted to us were so many in number and so wide in scope, that, although each one has received our careful consideration, we have found it expedient to direct our chief attention to such portions of the general problem as in our opinion demanded the earliest solution. For that reason, although we have received and studied with interest many able communications and suggestions for the treatment of sewage chemically and electrically in a different way to that now in force; as also for its utilisation on lands, and for its discharge at other points than in the estuary of the Thames, we have made no reference to these in our Report, as we have been unable at present to found any recommendations upon them. "(2.) In approaching the subject, we have had to remember that improving the main drainage system is only one of the many increasing demands for the construction of works of utility in the metropolis, and further that the general features of that system were unalterably fixed many years ago. "(3.) We have also had to recognise the fact that a certain amount of sewage pollution in both the upper and lower reaches of the Thames is inevitable in the future as in the past, as it would be wholly impracticable to deal with the sewage during heavy rainfall by other means than by letting it discharge in a crude condition by the shortest route into the river. "(4.) We have found on investigation that the most frequent cause of public complaint is due to the insufficient size of the main outfall sewers, which has led to floodings of the low districts, and to the frequent discharge of much crude undiluted sewage into the Thames in the heart of the metropolis. "(5.) To remedy these immediate pressing evils, we have proposed the construction of new intercepting sewers on both sides of the river of sufficient size to provide for the sewage of a future population of seven millions, and also for a reasonable amount of rainfall, at a cost of about' two-and-a-quarter millions. "We are of opinion that detailed plans should be prepared of these works, and that no time should be lost in commencing such portions of them as are more immediately required. "(6.) We do not think that the same urgency exists as regards the removal of the present outfalls to some point lower down the river or to the sea. "Having reference to the evidence given before the Royal Commissioners in 1883-4, and to the results of our inquiries and investigations generally, we have been led to the opinion that no new works should be entered upon until tho d 2 20 precipitation works at Crossness as well as at Barking have been completed and in operation for a sufficient length of time to enable their effect upon the condition of the river to be ascertained beyond dispute or speculation. "(7.) Without anticipating what the exact results of that experience may be, we would point out that the removal of the solid impurities by precipitation must necessarily do away with many of the evils most seriously complained of by the Royal Commissioners in 1884, and we have little doubt that a large volume of the effluent water may continue to be discharged with impunity at Crossness and Barking. During the past half-century the river has never been free from sewage pollution, and experience has shown that, provided such pollution be kept within reasonable limits, no practical inconvenience results therefrom. We have seen nothing in past experience which would justify any alarm at the present state of affairs, or necessitate immediate action without waiting for the results of the completed works at Crossness and Barking outfalls. "(8.) We have concluded, however, that the whole of the future sewage should not be dealt with at those outfalls, but that an outfall must be found for a portion of it at a lower point in the river, where the effluent may find its way more directly to the sea. ''(9.) After a most careful consideration of the question we have reluctantly come to the conclusion that there is no point in the estuary of the Thames, or on the Essex coast near thereto, where the whole volume of the future sewage could be discharged in a crude condition without risk of returning up the Thames and other rivers, and of offensive deposits and consequent evils arising therefrom. "(10.) Assuming therefore that the sewage must be treated at the new outfall, we have found that the latter might be conveniently placed at a point near Shell Haven in Sea Reach, and there would be no advantage at all commensurate with the increased cost in taking the effluent farther down the river. "(11.) Sufficient land might be reserved at any new outfall to enable the sludge to be in part dug into the soil if it should be found advantageous to do this, but it would probably be found better to continue the use of sludge ships, as at present, that is to say, to deal with the sewage sludge in the same way as the river and dock sludge is dealt with on the Tyne, the Clyde, the Forth, and so many other rivers, by taking it well out to sea and discharging it. "(12.) Practically therefore the sewage might be said to be taken to the sea, but instead of being discharged in a crude condition at one point, it would be dealt with in two portions, the least offensive part, that is the clarified sewage, being discharged some distance up the estuary, and the most offensive part, namely, the sludge, being deposited many miles out at sea. Of course, the latter alternative involves an increase in working expenses and a 21 saving in capital expenditure. Assuming the annual charges, including interest, to be the same with any two schemes, and the efficiency equal, we should prefer that scheme in which the capital expenditure was the least, because working expenses may be modified as experience is gained, and improved methods introduced, but a mistake as regards capital expenditure •cannot be remedied except by additional outlay. "(13.) We have estimated the cost of the works for conveying the whole of the crude sewage to the sea at 8,000,000/., and the working expenses at 80,000/. per anuum; as compared with a capital expenditure of 1,600,000/. and working expenses of 50,000/. for discharging a proportion of the sewage in a clarified condition at Shell Haven. To the working expenses in the latter case must be added the cost of precipitating at Barking and Crossness, and conveying to sea the amount of sludge due to the existing sewage discharge. "(14.) As the growth of the population is gradual, the sewage system should be also of a progressive character, so as to minimise the loss of interest on unnecessary works. "We recommend, therefore, that such portions of the works included in our estimate of two-and-a-quarter millions as are of pressing necessity, should be at once commenced, but that the remainder of the works, including the new outfall sewer to Shell Haven, should not immediately be proceeded with." NUISANCES. Many nuisances of a minor character affecting the health of the district are constantly reported and dealt with. Below are details only of those of importance or especial difficulty. During April serious complaint was made of the deposit of shaving manure in large quantities on waste land, the property of the Millwall Dock Company. This, which has a most offensive smell, and constituted a dangerous nuisance, was at once discontinued, and that already deposited was covered over with a thick layer of ashes. A large accumulation of stable manure in the same neighbourhood was also ordered to be removed, and as this was not at once done, an order was served under section 70 of the Public Health Act, which authorises the Sanitary Authority, after due notice, to effect the removal, and charge the owners of the material with any loss which may accrue after it has been disposed of. This had the desired effect, and an arrangement was then made for its periodical removal. 22 On the 14th April complaint was made by the Superintendent of the Training Ship "Exmouth" of the serious nuisance caused by unloading manure barges at a wharf opposite the vessel. By representation this was remedied by immediate removal, but this is only a temporary relief. The only way to deal satisfactorily with this constantly recurring trouble is to appoint certain places at which only these foul cargoes can be discharged. There would be no difficulty as to this, and no prohibitory interference with the trade, if only the riparian Authorities (who are mainly interested in the question) could be brought to see it in this light. But unhappily this is not the case, and as long as the inhabitants of a district enjoy or seem to enjoy such traffic unregulated and unlicensed, it will be useless for the Port Sanitary Authority to interfere at all actively in the matter. Another troublesome nuisance is caused by the foul condition of St. Saviour's Dock, in the bed of which is an accumulation of mud derived partly by subsidence from the river water, and partly by refuse allowed to fall in from some of the wharves. The Thames Conservancy declined all responsibility in the matter, as did also all the wharfingers whose premises abut on to the Dock. Notices were therefore served on all these parties to cleanse the bed of the creek within a certain time, and, as a consequence, a conference was held at the Guildhall, when all were represented. Without accepting any legal liability, the Thames Conservancy agreed to make certain experiments as to the simplest plan of removing the accumulation, which, it is hoped, will be successful, and get rid of what is undoubtedly a nuisance injurious to health. CATTLE STEAMERS. Much trouble has been caused by the perfunctory manner in which steamers which have carried cattle are cleaned. This cleaning, and the subsequent disinfection with the object of preventing the importation of disease, is under the control of the Board of Agriculture, and therefore does not properly concern the Sanitary Authority. But unfortunately this is frequently attended to in so careless a manner, as not only to be a perfect farce as regards the destruction of disease germs (its only raison d'etre), but the vessels are frequently found to be so unclean as to be a nuisance injurious to health, and as such, come at once under the purview of your officers. 23 Further, the question of removal of manure from the ship, and its frequent detention in barges in dock for days and weeks in hot weather, often becomes a very urgent matter as affecting the public health. The docks mainly affected, the "Victoria and Royal Albert, being at present in charge of Inspector Spadaccini, I instructed him to report fully on the question. His notes are appended hereto, and practically give all the details of the case. ATLANTIC CATTLE STEAMERS. Cattle on transatlantic steamers are looked after by cattlemen, who are under the orders of a foreman, or "boss." In the early morning they commence their duties each day at sea by watering the oxen. This is done once in 24 hours, when as much as it can drink is given to each oxen. Ten gallons per head per day for 21 days' passage is the allowance of water provided before the cattle are taken on board. Six gallons is probably the average amount consumed by each animal, although occasionally certain oxen will drink very much more. The captain of a Baltimore steamer states that his attention was once called by the boss cattleman to a bull in the after 'tween decks that used to drink every morning 28 gallons. In bad weather there is a large amount of waste. After water, hay is supplied, and the two operations are completed in the summer months before 8 a.m. The stock of hay taken on board at time of embarkation is 10 lbs. per head per day, provision being made for a passage of three weeks. During the forenoon the cattlemen clean out the troughs, when there are troughs, and see to the litter, halters, and general comfort of the beasts. At noon a meal of corn is supplied, and of this 8 lbs. per head per day is allowed. "Distillery-fed" cattle are given a mash of meal instead of corn, and thus raises the necessity for troughs. The feeding for the day is finished at 5 p.m., when hay is again laid down. The stalls, although uniform in size (the space for an ox being 8 feet by 2½ feet) vary considerably in arrangement, and there is great room for 24 increased simplicity, notwithstanding many recent improvements in this direction. Permanent fittings, partly in iron, are being slowly introduced. The iron and wooden decks on which cattle are carried have almost in all cases been covered with temporary boarding or with movable wooden flooring in sections, and the difficulty of lifting these coverings has always been an obstacle to perfect cleansing. There are good grounds for believing that the same manure was allowed to lay between the deck and the flooring for many voyages. The sectional flooring was retained on board from trip to trip until saturated with cattle droppings. The present tendency is to dispense with all temporary flooring and to bed the cattle on the iron decks, and where the deck is wood to allow them to stand on sheathing that has been permanently laid and caulked. The time occupied in cleansing the cattle spaces will be very much lessened and the work will be done more satisfactorily. During the year 1890 there were admitted into the Yictoria and Albert Docks 185 Atlantic cattle steamers, being at the rate of seven every fortnight. Of these, 112 entered the Victoria Dock and 73 discharged in the Albert Dock. The numbers in each month varied from two steamers in January to 10 in June in the Albert, and from seven in December to 18 in February in the Victoria. In almost every case the cattle were discharged in the river, the exceptions being National Line steamers. The average number of oxen carried by the Albert Dock steamers was 431, giving a total of 31,463 for the year under consideration, and on the Victoria Dock steamers as many as 55,552 were brought into the Port of London, being an average of 496 per vessel. It will be seen, therefore, that the dung and litter from over 87,000 oxen had to be discharged into barges in these two docks during 1890. Being desirous to know the amount to be dealt with, I measured the quantity of dung and litter contained in a pen that had been occupied for 18 days by four beasts on the main deck of the steam ship" Holkar,'' from Philadelphia. The pen was 10 feet long, 8| feet deep, and the bedding and dung when levelled was 8J? inches high. This gave 60 cubic feet, or 15 cubic feet for each animal. 25 The " Holkar " did not land any fodder at Deptford when discharging her cattle, and from this it was assumed that, owing to short supply, there may have been considerable economy in the use of hay and less bedding than usual. This assumption was borne out by subsequent measurements taken on the steam ship " Nessmore," from Baltimore. The passages of the two steamers were identical in length, but here a height of 10 inches gave nearly 18 cubic feet of dung and litter to each animal. We have then, when taking a mean of 161 cubic feet per ox, the very large aggregate of 1,435,500 cubic feet of manure that had to be discharged from cattle steamers in these two docks in one year. Measurements were taken afterwards of an ordinary dung barge of 36 tons register. Under hatches her capacity was found to be 2,646 cubic feet, showing that at the time of registration no deduction had been made for crew space. But as dung barges always carry more or less of a stack on the hatches,, these were also measured, when it was found that one foot in height on a stack increased the load to 2,901 cubic feet, and two feet of stack to 3,177 cubic feet as the amount of dung that could be carried on a barge of this size. As there are very few cases of barges carrying dung cargoes all below hatches it is useless to consider how many would be required to remove nearly one and a half million of cubic feet of dung, &c., but with one and two feet stacks the respective numbers are 498 and 454. If the mean of these figures is taken as a reasonable estimate, then 474 barges of manure must have been loaded in the Victoria and Albert Docks during 1890. This is equal to one barge and a half for each working day in the year, and averages two and a half barges for each cattle steamer. Bad weather in the Atlantic is sometimes responsible for the removal of nearly all the dung and litter from an exposed deck, but otherwise the whole of the accumulation in the pens remains undisturbed. The time occupied in discharging the dung and litter in dock depends in the; first place on the number of beasts that has been carried and the number of decks occupied as cattle spaces. But the construction of the steamers with respect to cargo ports on the lower decks and the facilities for getting barges alongside both to port and starboard are also important factors in the matter. The litter of 200 oxen can be discharged from an upper deck in eight hours, and when four times that number is carried on three decks there should be no difficulty in getting the work of discharging finished in 24 hours. Allowing e 26 that " every portion of a vessel that has come in contact with cattle 01* their droppings must be scraped, scrubbed and lime washed," it would be reasonable to expect these operations carried out within 72 hours of the discharging of last ox, or on arrival in dock, whichever occurred last. The nuisance caused by the discharging of cattle dung in a crowded dosk is serious, and can only be prevented by having the removal effected in the lower reaches of the river. The detention before entering dock would be viewed, it is reasonable to fear, as a hindrance to trade and could not be •enforced. The owners of one line of cattle steamers recognising the advantages of having their vessels cleared of dung before opening their cargo hatches, made arrangements in 1889 to allow their steamers to lay " silent" for 24 hours after arrival in dock. The plan worked very well, and the work of cleansing was -carried out quickly and well. A plentiful supply of water and a free use of hose are absolutely necessary for the satisfactory washing down of cattle spaces, but these essentials are impracticable with open cargo hatches and barges alongside containing valuable and easily-damaged cargo. As most of the vessels containing cgttle also bring dressed beef, this custom of a " silent " 21 hours could never be made general. Let it be supposed that a cattle steamer arrives in the Victoria Dock on a Friday with 500 quarters of beef in her refrigerating chamber and her supply of ice exhausted. The consignee of the beef in his anxiety to save a good market on Saturday morning, and to avoid the expense of procuring more ice, would apply for immediate delivery, and in this way it would be impossible to enforce generally what one owner had voluntarily adopted. The nuisance caused by dung from cattle steamers in dock is of course greatest when the dung is being discharged into the lighters, and any repetition of turning over the manure, as from barge to barge, means a recurrence of the evil. This transhipping in dock is done when a barge shows signs of sinking or when a contractor has two half-loaded barges and desires to despatch one to her destination. The Surveyor of Her Majesty's Customs in the Victoria Dock has recently issued orders that this is not to be done in future without his consent, for he sees that if practised to any extent a road is opened for fraud, and the dung that is thrown overboard at the " Nore" may not be the dung that should have been disposed of in this manner. There is good ground for believing that seven days' detention in dock from the date of loading is the average for dung barges, and if this is the case it then appears that nine barges of manure are always lying in the Victoria and 27 Albert Docks, This does, not take place without giving rise to a certain amount of nuisance which is more or less serious according to the condition of the dung when loaded and the state of the weather. In many instances these barges are detained a fortnight, and a month has been known to elapse between the loading of a dung barge and her clearance from dock by the custom officers. The detention of the barges is said to be caused by the delay in receiving from the Veterinary Inspector at Deptford the certificate setting forth that the cattle were found free from contagious disease. It has been recently stated that the certificate is not forwarded until the last ox by the steamer concerned has been killed and subsequently examined for disease. Whatever the cause may be, there is no doubt that these documents take much longer to arrive at the docks than was formerly the case. As an example, one steamer from New York, reported at the Custom House in London on April 6th, and one may assume the cattle were landed on that day, but the certificate was not received until the 20th. The nuisance caused at the time of discharging cattle dung is not likely to be so protracted in the future with improved cattle fittings. The recurrence of the nuisance caused by turning over from barge to barge, unless under exceptional circumstances, will be stopped. The cleansing of the cattle spaces will be very much simplified if owners of cattle steamers adopt improved arrangements for stalls and flooring. It is not apparent that any steps can be taken in the direction of cleaning steamers before their arrival in Dock, but it would be an immense advantage if regulations could be made and enforced for the time to be occupied in cleaning the vessel and removing the dung from Dock. The thorough cleansing of the cattle spaces should be dealt with and certified to by the Medical Officer of Health's Department for the Port of London, inasmuch as the officers of H.M. Customs cannot be expected to take much interest in a subject such as cleansing of cattle spaces, nor, indeed, have they sufficient time to devote to this most important duty. CANVEY ISLAND. With the exception of a few cases of measles reported elsewhere (tne remains of an outbreak traceable to importation from London), the health of the island has been good, and no infectious disease has been reported. e 2 28 The Well continues to give an abundant supply of good palatable water, and is greatly appreciated by the inhabitants. It is found to be more widely used than expected, mainly on account of its quality, but also because of its accessible position on the main road. Practically, about two-thirds of the inhabitants of the island are supplied from this one source. The sanitary condition of the tenements has been investigated from time to time, and numerous improvements in connection with drainage and water supply carried out by owners and occupiers under the supervision of your officers. UNSOUND MEAT AND FOOD. In Appendix H are given particulars of all seizures of meat, fruit, &c., unfit for the food of man. Though the number is comparatively large, the quantities, happily, are in nearly all instances small, but little difficulty arises in dealing with such material. The owners are invariably found willing to agree to the destruction, when the condition is pointed out, and must be considered as unfortunate in their •commerce rather than as wishful of placing unfit food stuff in the market. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, WILLIAM COLLINGrRIDGE, M.D., Medical Officer of Health, Port of London. 29 INDEX TO APPENDICES. -Appendix Page A Number of Vessels inspected in each Dock and on the River, from 1st January, 1891, to 30th June, 1891 30 33 Number and Nationality of Vessels inspected, from 1st January, 1891, to 30th June, 1891 31 C List of Effects Disinfected 32 D List of Vessels Fumigated, with Causes 33 E Number of Structural Alterations carried out 34 F Number of Vessels in which Structural Alterations have been ordered, but not yet completed 34 Gr Cases of Infectious Disease in the Port of London 35 H Particulars of Unsound Meat and Food condemned by Port Sanitary Authority 37 I Particulars of Canal Boats inspected from 1st January, 1891, to 30th June, 1891 39 30 APPENDIX A. Number of Vessels Inspected in each Dock and on the River, from 1st January, 1891, to 30th June, 1891. Dock. Number. To be Gleaned or Whitewashed. Foul Cargoes. Outward Bound. Sick referred to Hospital. St. Katharine 226 1 — 16 — London 297 18 — 18 4 Regent's Canal 279 6 — 3 — Millwall 552 6 — 48 — West India 534 40 — 99 3 East India 248 13 — 30 1 Victoria 329 21 — 35 3 Royal Albert 701 32 — 53 2 Commercial 380 8 — 16 — Grravesend District 1,395 2 — 11 — Tilbury 682 40 — 23 1 River ] ,985 26 — 73 5 Total 7,608 213 — 425 19 Total to 31st December, 1890 324,237 From 1st January to 30th June, 1891 7,608 Total 331,845 Total to be cleaned, &c., 31st December, 1890 18,871 From 1st January to 30th June, 1891 213 19,084 31 APPENDIX B. Number and Nationality of Yessels Inspected, from 1st January, 1891, to 30th June, 1891. Nationality. Number. Proportion per cent, of Total Number. Austrian -------- 2 — Belgian - -- -- -- - 2 — Brazilian ------ 2 — British 6,675 87.73 Danish 93 1.23 Dritch 32 .42 Finnish 11 .14 French 33 .43 German 336 4.41 Italian 5 .06 Russian 3 — Spanish 42 .55 Swedish and Norwegian - 372 4.88 Total 7,608 32 APPENDIX C. Effects Disinfected, from 1st January to 30th June, 1891. Date. Ship's Name. Where from. Date and Cause of Death. Where Disinfected. Date. Cause. 1891. Aretas St. Lucia 23 Oct.,'90 ? St. Katharine's Dock House. Jan. 26 Mar. 17 Juanda Natal - 22 Jan.,'91 Typhus Fever „ 19 Royal Alice Rio Janeiro - 4th to 26th August,'90 Small-pox - Port Sanitary Hospital. „ 20 Port Caroline - Melbourne ? ? On board. April 1 Nithsdale - Marseilles ? ? St. Katharine's Dock House. „ 12 Port Jackson - Port Augusta 28 Sep.,'90 Small-pox - " " May 25 Blackwater Bradwell-onSea. — — On board. June 2 Pelican Calcutta ? ? Mercantile Marine Office, Tilbury. „ 4 Dunholme- Santos - 6 Mar., '91 Yellow Fever Destroyed in ship's furnace. „ „ Donati Rio Janeiro - 12 Apl.,'91 Yellow Fever On board. „ 5 Elton Rangoon ? ? ? „ 30 Boskenna Bay - Pasqua Goula ? " Cholera Morbus." „ 33 APPENDIX D. Vessels Fumigated, from 1st January to 30th June, 1891. Date. Ship's Name. Steam or Sailing. Where from. Cause of Fumigation. January 20 - Texiasserim Steam Rangoon Enteric Fever. March 9 - Cuzco „ Sydney Enteric Fever. „ 20 - Royal Alice Sailing Rio Janeiro Small-pox. „ 31 Garth Castle Steam Algoa Bay Enteric Fever. April 2 Shannon „ Calcutta Measles. 13 City of Cambridge „ „ „ „ 14 City of Dundee „ „ „ „ 30 Clan Matheson „ „ „ May 6 Ingomar Sailing Lying in London Enteric Fever and Erysipelas. „ - Brazilian Steam Buenos Ayres Small-pox. „ 13 Hutton Hall Sailing Melbourne Enteric Fever. June 25 Brazilian Steam Montreal Small-pox. „ 30 Sierra Pedrosa „ Chittagong Small-pox. „ „ Boskenna Bay „ Pasqua Gomla "Cholera Morbus." 34 APPENDIX E. Alterations made, from 1st January to 30th June, 1891. Month. No. of Vessels in which Alterations have been made. Ventilation. Water Tanks. Lighting, heating, &c. No. of Alterations. J anuary 54 16 3 50 69 February - 47 15 1 41 57 March 25 11 2 18 31 April - 32 19 1 23 43 May - 12 8 1 7 16 June - 6 5 1 3 9 Total - 176 74 9 142 225 APPENDIX F. Alterations ordered, but not tet carried out, from 1st January to 30th June, 1891. Morith. No. of Vessels in which Alterations have been ordered. Ventilation. Water Tanks. Lighting, heating, cleansing, &c. Total No. of Alterations. January 2 — 2 2 4 February - 2 1 — 2 3 March 6 2 1 4 7 April - 23 6 3 24 33 May - 15 8 2 12 22 June - 19 13 1 12 26 Total - 67 30 9 56 95 APPENDIX G. Cases of Infectious Disease in the Port of London, from 1st January to 30th June, 1891. Date. Name of Vessel. Description. Official No. Owners or Brokers. Where lying. Disease. Source of Infection. Where case removed to. 1891. Canvey Island — Measles (6) Previous cases Isolated at dence Jan. 1 „ 5 London Str. 45,007 John Hall & Co London Dock Small-pox Hospital at Lisbon Met. Asylums Hospital „ 6 Cinvey Island — — — — Measles Previous cases Isolated at residence „ 10 Ditto — — — — Ditto Ditto Ditto „ 10 Ditto — — — — Ditto Ditto Ditto „ 15 Ditto — — — — Ditto Ditto Ditto „ 16 Ditto — — — — Ditto Ditto Ditto „ 20 Tenasserim Str. 71,701 Galbraith, Pembroke & Co. Tilbury Enteric Fever Rangoon Convalescent on arrival Feb. 13 March 9 Oritava Ouzoo Str. Str. 65,901 Oriental Steam Navigation Co. A nderson, Anderson & Co. Gravesend Tilbury Rubeola Enteric Fever (?) Sydney Port Sanitary Hospital Buried at sea „ 17 Glenlyon Str. 68,010 McGregor, Gow & Co. Ditto Small-pox Shanghae Hospital at Shanghae „ 20 Royal Alice Sail 45,455 David Fernid, Liverpool Canal Dry Dock Ditto (7) Rio Janeiro Survivors convalescent on arrival ,, 31 Garth Castle Str. 82,849 Donald Currie & Co. Tilbury Enteric Fever Port Elizabeth Port Sanitary Hospital » ». Ditto Di tto Ditto Ditto Remittent Fever (?) Ditto f 2 35 APPENDIX G.—continued. Date. Name of Yessel. Description. Official No. Owners or Brokers. Where lying. Disease. Source of Infection. Where case removed to. 1891. April 2 Shannon Str. 83,934 P. and 0. Steam Nav. Co. Gravesend Measles (2) Calcutta Port Sanitary Hospital. „ 13 City of Cambridge- Str. 86,729 G. Smith, Glasgow Victoria Dock Ditto (4) Ditto Convalescent. „ 14 City of Dundee Str. 97,668 Ditto Ditto Ditto (5) Ditto Ditto. „ 30 Clan Matheson Str. — Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Tilbury Ditto (2) Ditto Port Sanitary Hospital. „ „ Potton Island — — — Ditto (8) Great W akering Schools. Isolated at residence. May 6 Ingomar Sail — Galbraith, Pembroke & Co. Britannia Dry Dock Enteric Fever (?) Seamen'sHospital. „ „ Ditto Sail — Ditto Ditto Erysipelas (?) Ditto. „ 7 Brazilian Str. 97,624 Allan Bros. & Co. Gravesend Small-pox Buenos Ayres Port Sanitary Hospital. „ 13 Hutton Hall- Sail 87,954 Globe Shipping Co. London Dock Enteric Fever (5) Melbourne Convalescent. June 24 Arethusa Train ing Ship. Marine Society Greenhithe Ditto (?) Isolated on board. „ 25 Brazilian Str. 97,624 Allan Bros. & Co. Thames Haven Small-pox (4) Previous case Hospital at Montreal. „ 30 Sierra Pedrosa Sail 87,911 Macknight & Co. Gravesend Ditto (6) Chittagong Hospital at Chittagong, and isolation on board. 36 appendix h. Condemned Meat, &c., from January 1st to June 30th, 1891. Date. Ship's Name. Official Number. Where lying. Where from. Amount condemned. 1891. Coptic 84,164 Royal Albert Dock New Zealand 8 carcases mutton. January 13 „ 27 Avon 81,623 Victoria Dock West Indies Portions of 4 bags of coffee. F ebruary 2 Balmoral Castle 76,935 S. West India Dock Queensland 40 carcases and 40 pieces mutton. „ 4 Frederik Danish Millwall Dock Copenhagen 24 bags mussels. „ 20 Britannia 93,196 Royal Albert Dock Sydney 2 carcases 12 pieces mutton. „ 26 Ruapehu 76,069 Ditto New Zealand 1 piece mutton. March 23 Lusitania 65,888 Tilbury Sydney 27 cases apples, 1 carcase and 4 legs mutton. April 1 Kaikoura 89,627 Royal Albert Dock New Zealand 93 carcases and 8 pieces mutton. „ 10 Delambre 69,331 Sunk in River Outward bound to Rio Janeiro 7 hams, 8 pieces bacon, and 11 tins meat. „ 20 Tongariro 76,067 Royal Albert Dock New Zealand 2 carcases and 6 pieces mutton. „ 22 Elderslie 89,929 East India Dock Ditto 1 leg mutton. „ 28 Arcadia 93,172 Royal Albert Dock Sydney 3 half-cases and 1 case pears. May 9 Maori King 96,689 Victoria Dock New Zealand 93 carcases and 77 pieces mutton. „ 8 Arawa 89,953 Royal Albert Dock Ditto 31 carcases, 48 legs and 26 pieces mutton. 37 APPENDIX H.—continued. Date. Ship's Name. Official Number. Where lying. Where from. Amount condemned. 1891. Portena French London Dock Buenos Ayres 336 carcases .mutton. May 19 „ 22 Duke of Sutherland 68,220 Royal Albert Dock New Zealand 31 carcases and 29 pieces mutton. „ 21 Ballaarat 81,838 Ditto Sydney 19 cases and 1 half-case fruit. „ 29 Aorangi 76,068 Ditto New Zealand 14 carcases and 7 pieces mutton. „ 26 Oceana 93,170 Ditto Sydney 1 case fruit. June 5 Coptic 84,164 Ditto New Zealand 4 carcases and 3 pieces mutton. „ 6 Turakina 60,352 West India Dock Ditto 6 carcases and 5 pieces mutton, and parts of 3 bags kidneys. „ 8 Lydian Monarch 84,328 Royal Albert Dock New York 68 cases dessicated cocoa nut. „ 10 Miltiades 60,710 East India Dock New Zealand 3 tierces beef, and 3 barrels pork. „ 15 Paramatta 87,377 Royal Albert Dock Sydney 8 cases apples, 1 case and 1 half-case pears. „ 19 Rimutaka 89,652 Ditto New Zealand 117 carcases mutton, 40 lambs, 60 legs & 2 pieces mutton, 3 pieces beef, 5 boxes kidneys, 25 rabbits & 24 packages rabbits. „ 25 Britannia 93,196 Ditto Sydney 2 legs mutton. 39 APPENDIX I. Particulars of Canal Boats Inspected under Canal Boats Acts 1877 and 1884, from January 1st to June 30th, 1891. Months. No. of Canal Boats Inspected. Registered No. of Persons to live on board. No. of Persons living on board. No. of Canal Boats without Certificates on board. No. of Prosecutions against Masters or Owners. No. of Cases of Infectious Disease on board. No. Registered by the Port of London Sanitary Authority. January 20 51 31 l — — 3 February 32 98 68 l — — — March 38 98 64 — — — 1 April 47 160 109 1 — — 1 May 32 97 60 2 — — — June 29 56 39 1 — — 3 Total 198 560 371 6 — — 8 LONDON: Charles Skipper and East, Printers, St. Dunstan's Hill, E.G. 37. SANITARY. REPORT, POET OF LONDON SANITARY COMMITTEE, with the HALF-YEARLY REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE PORT OF LONDON, To 31st December, 1891. Presented \.th February, 1892. PLON 17 37. SANITARY. REPORT, POUT OF LONDON SANITAEY COMMITTEE, WITH THE HALF-YEARLY REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE PORT OF LONDON, To 31st December, 1891. Presented Ath February, 1892. B EVANS, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London, on Thursday, the 4th day of February, 1892. THE Port of London Sanitary Committee did this day deliver into this Court a Report in writing under their hands, of proceedings of the Committee, and submitting the Report of the Medical Officer of Health of the Port of London for the Half-year to the 31st December, 1891, and recommending the following re-appointments for one year from Lady Day, 1892, viz.:— William Collingridge, M.D., as Medical Officer of Health. Henry Spadaccini, William Baillie, William Anderson, Thomas William Bailey, Also for authority to re-appoint Mr. Philip Whitcombe, Medical Officer of the Hospital at Gravesend, at his present rate of remuneration, viz., Two hundred Guineas per annum; which was read. And a Motion being made and Question put, That this Court doth agree with the Committee in their said Report, the same was Resolved in the Affirmative and Ordered accordingly. Ordered, That the Report be printed and a copy sent to every Member of this Court. MONCKTON. As Sanitary Inspectors. 4 To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled. WE whose names are hereunto subscribed, of your Port of London Sanitary Committee, to whom it has been referred to carry into execution the Public Health Acts, 1872 and 1875, beg to submit for the consideration of your Honourable Court the Report of Dr. William Collingridge, the Medical Officer of Health of the Port of London, for the Half-year ending 31st December, 1891, which Report contains a full and detailed account of the work done during that period in the Port of London by the Medical Officer and the Inspectors. The Report gives, among other matters, much interesting information on the following subjects :— (1.) The cubical space allowed to each Seaman on board Ship. (2.) Small-pox and Enteric Fever. (3.) Metropolitan Sewage. (4.) The Inspection and Registration of Canal Boats. Reference is made in the Report to the Public Health Act, which came into force on the 1st January last, and which repeals the powers of the Corporation as the Port of London Sanitary Authority under the Public Health Act of 1875. Under the new Act, however, the Corporation is reconstituted such Authority, and power is given to the Local Government Board to assign to the Authority any powers, rights, duties, capacities, liabilities or obligations of a Sanitary Authority under the Act as may appear to the Board to be required, and, under the directions of your Committee, the City Solicitor has applied to the Board for the necessary order. We beg to report that it becomes necessary that the Medical Officer and the Inspectors of Nuisances of the Port of London should be re-appointed for a period of twelve months from the 25th March, 1892 ; we accordingly recommend that William Collingridge, M.D., should be re-appointed for that period as the Medical Officer of Health for the Port of London, and that Henry Spadaccini at 60s. per week, William Baillie at 45s. per week, William Anderson at 45s. per week, and Thomas William Bailey at 40s. per week, be re-appointed Inspectors. As stated in our previous Reports, great advantage has been found from having a Medical Officer to take charge of the Hospital at Gravesend, and as Mr. Philip Whitcombe continues to perform his duties in a satisfactory manner, we are of opinion that his services should be retained for the same period as 5 the other officers, and that he be re-appointed accordingly at his present rate of remuneration, viz., Two hundred Guineas, for one year. All which we submit to the judgment of this Honourable Court. Dated this second day of February, 1892. J. N. Pimm. Geo. H. Edmonds. Geo. T. Thornes. David Burnett. James Bastow. J. F. Hepburn. F. Dadswell. Daniel Greenaway. T. G. Beatley. c INDEX. page Introductory 9 Crews' Spaces 11 Small-pox 21 Enteric Fever 24 Infected Clothing 27 The Hospital 27 Metropolitan Sewage 28 Nuisances 30 Canvey Island 31 Unsound Food 32 Canal Boats 32 c 2 PORT OF LONDON SANITARY OFFICES, TO THE WOJMIPMJL THE PORT OF LONDON SANITARY GREENWICH, S.E. 20th January, 1892. COMMITTEE. Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit to you herewith my twenty-fourth halfyearly Report of sanitary work performed in the Port of London by your officers, which covers the six months ending 31st December, 1891. During this period 7,733 vessels of all classes have been visited, no fewer than 6,516 of which (= 84.26 per cent.) carried the British flag. Of these 199 (=2.5 per cent.) required lime-washing or some cleansing to be carried out. The proportion of vessels needing cleansing continues gradually to fall, a most satisfactory proof of the value of constant sanitary supervision. Full details are given as usual in the various tables appended hereto. By reference to Appendix E, it will be seen that 214 structural alterations, affecting 167 vessels, have been ordered for the improvement of ventilation, lighting, heating, cleansing, or the storage of water. Of these, 170 are known to be already carried out, leaving 44 still finally unaccounted for, those actually carried out averaging about one to every working day throughout the six months. The most important sanitary event during the past year has been the passing of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, which codifies the existing law, and amends it in many important points. The whole Act strengthens in every essential the position of the Sanitary Authority and its officers, and, naturally, at the same time imposes many fresh duties and responsibilities. Although at first it must add greatly to the work, it is probable that eventually it will allow of much closer sanitary control and obviate many of the difficulties which at present surround and impede effective action. By this Act the Public Health Act, 1875, so far as the powers of the Port Sanitary Authority are concerned, is absolutely repealed. The Authority itself is constituted anew under Section 111, which enacts that— "The Mayor, Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London shall "continue to be the Port Sanitary Authority of the Port of London as 10 "established for the purposes of the laws relating to the Customs of the "United Kingdom, and shall pay out of their corporate funds all their "expenses as such Port Sanitary Authority." Section 112 further enacts that: "The Local Government Board may by "order assign to the Port Sanitary Authority of the Port of London any "powers, rights, duties, capacities, liabilities or obligations of a Sanitary "Authority under this Act, or of a Sanitary Authority under the Public "Health Act, 1875, and any Act extending or amending the same respectively, "with such modifications and additions (if any) as may appear to the Board "to be required, and the order may extend to the said port a Bye-law made "under this Act otherwise than by the Port Sanitary Authority, and any "such Bye-law, until so extended, shall not extend to the said port; and the "said Port Sanitary Authority shall have the powers, rights, duties, capacities, "liabilities and obligations assigned by such order in and over all waters "within the limit of the said port, and also in and over such districts or parts "of districts of riparian authorities as may be specified in any such order, and "the order may extend this Act, and any part thereof, and any Bye-law made "thereunder, to such waters and districts and parts of districts when not "situate in London." On this Act receiving Royal Assent your Medical Officer drew up a list of the Sections of the Act under which it was deemed advisable that powers should be obtained, and this was duly referred to the City Solicitor in order to obtain the necessary order. The Local Government Board, holding the opinion that the order assigning powers under the Act of 1875 remains in force until cancelled by a new one, did not issue such order in time for the first of January, and, as a matter of fact, have the question still under consideration. From the above quoted Section it will be seen that no Bye-laws made by the London County Council have any force within the jurisdiction of the Port Sanitary Authority until specially extended by the Local Government Board, and, further, that the County Council has no authority over the Corporation or its officers. The only part of the Act which came into force on the first day of the present year was that relating to the consumption of smoke, which, for the first time, throws the duty of prevention directly on the Sanitary Authority without the intervention of the police. Section 23 (3) enacts that— "Every steam engine and furnace used in the working of any steam vessel "on the River Thames, either above London Bridge or plying to and fro "between London Bridge and any place on the River Thames westward of "the Nore Light, shall be constructed so as to consume or burn the smoke "arising from such engine and furnace, and if any such steam engine or "furnace is not so constructed or, being so constructed, is wilfully used so that 11 "the smoke arising therefrom is not effectually consumed or burnt, the owne. "or master of such vessel shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds "and on a second conviction to a fine of ten pounds, and on every subsequent "conviction to a fine of double the amount of the fine imposed on the last "preceding conviction. This Section shall extend to the Port of London, "and as respects the port shall be enforced by the Port Sanitary Authority." his, then, constitutes a new duty and a new responsibility, and, moreover, one very difficult to deal with. Unfortunately it applies only to vessels plying to places westward of the Nore, all passing beyond this point being exempt, although it is from these latter that the worst nuisance has hitherto been experienced. CREWS' SPACES. In my last Report I called attention to the necessity for an amendment of the Shipping Act, 1867, so far as relates to the cubic spaces allowed to each seaman. Since then the Medical Officers of Health of the larger ports, at a Conference held at Hull, drew up a Memorial for presentation to the Board of Trade, which was sent to every Port Sanitary Authority, asking for signature. This Memorial asks— (1.) For an extension of the cubic space from 72 feet to 150. (2.) The lining of iron forecastles overhead with wood; and (3.) The provision of lavatory and bath accommodation for the crew. The Corporation is obviously unable to sign or address any Memorial to the Board of Trade, and a reference has therefore been made to a SubCommittee to draw up a letter to the Board, setting forth what amendments to the Act are deemed advisable. Such a procedure will have the same weight as the Memorial. The question is a pressing one, and, moreover, demands very careful consideration. (2) is undoubtedly necessary, though in my opinion ample powers already exist for dealing with it. Where unlined iron exists over men's bunks, the condensation or "sweating," as it is usually called, due to deposition of moisture on change of temperature, by saturating bedding and clothing, undoubtedly causes a nuisance injurious and dangerous to health, and it has always been the practice in the Port of London to deal with it as such, with a fair amount of success. 12 No, (3). The provision of lavatory and bath accommodation for the crew would be an advance, but not one which sailors either seek or desire, and one indeed which they are not likely to appreciate. Moreover, I do not think that it would be either fair and reasonable to put ship-owners to the great expense of providing such accommodation at the present time, although it might be advisable to offer some inducement to ship-owners to provide such conveniences by giving an increased deduction from the gross tonnage in cases where it was provided and maintained. No. (1). I am strongly of opinion that the time has arrived for the amendment of a law passed a quarter of a century ago. During these twenty-five years many advances have been made in sanitation on shore, but afloat matters remain as they were. Section 9 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1867, contains in its nine SubSections the present law respecting the accommodation for merchant seamen:— (1.) Every place in any ship occupied by seamen or apprentices shall have for every such seaman or apprentice a space of not less than 72 cubic feet, and of not less than 12 superficial feet measured on the deck or floor of such place. (2.) The places are to be made available for the proper accommodation of the men, being securely constructed, properly lighted and ventilated, protected from weather and sea, and shut off from effluvium caused by cargo or bilge water. (3.) The places are not to be deducted from registered tonnage unless one or more properly constructed privies are provided of such number and construction as may be approved by a Board of Trade Surveyor. (4.) States that no deduction shall be made from tonnage unless on a beam is permanently marked "Certified to accommodate "seamen," stating the number it is constructed to accommodate. (5.) Enacts that nothing but the personal property of the crew shall be kept in such places. (6.) Lays down the course to be pursued by the Surveyor if he finds the law being broken. (7.) States that the sum of one shilling per day shall be paid to each seaman in case of ship's stores being allowed to remain in such places after complaint has been made to the Master. 13 (8.) Concludes the section thus: "If in any other respect the "Provisions of this Section are not observed the owner " shall for every failure incur a penalty not "exceeding 20l." Under this Section a series of "Instructions as to the survey of Master's "and Crew's spaces "has been issued by the Board of Trade for the guidance of their Surveyors. They cover all the subjects mentioned in the Act, and are extremely clear and explicit. The expression "ship" is defined to include "every description of vessel used in navigation not propelled by oars," except boats used exclusively for fishing on the coasts of the United Kingdom, as well as pleasure yachts and such barges as are used on canals and rivers only; and the term "seaman" to include every person (except master, pilots, and apprentices duly indentured and registered) employed or engaged to serve in any capacity on board any ship. Then follows the law as to deduction from tonnage, showing that under the Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, crew space above the upper deck to the extent of one-twentieth of the remaining tonnage was deducted from the gross tonnage of the ship. This was altered by the Act of 1867, which makes no restrictions on the two points of position and amount. Thus the tonnage of all places intended for the berthing of seamen and apprentices can now be deducted, provided the Surveyor certifies that the provisions of the Act are complied with. But it is only under the Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Act, 1889, that a deduction can be made for any place used exclusively for the master, who is now entitled to a space "reasonable in extent," properly and efficiently constructed, ventilated and lighted. Masters' spaces are not to be inspected unless a deduction is claimed, whereas crew's spaces must be of the required size, &c., in every case. The rules for measurement of spaces are very simple. For rectangular spaces the area and capacity are to be computed by multiplying together the three dimensions of length, breadth and height ; but for forecastles with varying breadth, the following rule is to be followed : divide the length of the deck into four equal parts. The forward bulkhead is to be termed No. 1, the first division being 2, and so on, the after bulkhead being 5. The breadth is taken across the ship at each division from gutter waterway to gutter waterway. Multiply the first and fifth breadths by 1, the second and fourth by 4, and the third by 2. Then multiply the sum of these products D 14 by 1/3rd of the common interval, and the result will be the gross area of deck. From this gross area have to be deducted the gross area of all incumbrances, such as windlass and hatches; the nett result shows the floor space, which, divided by 12 gives the number of seamen at 12 superficial feet per head. For the cubic capacity, multiply nett deck area by the height from deck to deck, and this product divided by 72 gives the number of seamen at 72 cubic feet per head. If these two results should differ, the smaller one is to be taken as the number which the space is to be certified for. In forecastles bed bunks or sleeping berths are not to be deducted as incumbrances, but in cabins there should be not less than 12 square feet per man, exclusive of the bunks, as the spirit of the Act is that each man should have 12 clear superficial feet of deck place. It is very difficult to understand why "the spirit;of the Act" should require this clear deck space in a cabin, and not in a forecastle. Clearly, as the regulations in both instances are made under the same section of the Act, the procedure should be similar in both cases, and only clear deck space taken into consideration. The penalty for overcrowding, want of drainage, light and ventilation, is 20l., but this is never enforced. Deductions for crew spaces are not to be allowed unless an iron deck over the space is lined with wood over the bunks, or unless it has a wooden deck laid on top of it. It is no part of the Surveyor's duty to decide how many men ought to be carried on board any ship, this being an arrangement between the owner and his employes. It is the owner's duty to man his ship properly, and the crew can refuse to join any vessel where this is not done. The Surveyor simply settles the number to be carried in a certain space. Uuder the head of construction it is laid down that upper and lower forecastles which form part of the original vessel will be found sufficiently strong, but careful examination must be made of deckhouses, especially in small sailing vessels. The sides, ends, top and floor are to be well caulked, and attention is to be given to leakage from bowsprit, cattails, fish davitts, &c. Plugs are to be fitted to hawse pipes, and cables passing down through forecastles are to be cased so as to prevent effluvium rising from the chain lockers. On the subject of light the Surveyor is reminded that the ability to read ordinary print in any part of the space is a good guide to its sufficiency. 15 Ventilation is treated at some length; scuttles, companions and doors are not to be looked upon as efficient means of ventilation, the recommendation being in favour of pipes with movable cowls; privies are also to be properly ventilated. The Act does not state the height that the crew's space must be, but the Surveyor is instructed to see that five feet six inches is the least distance from the deck to the under side of the beams, and also that where the bunks are in two tiers there is sufficient space over each tier. It is distinctly laid down that the bottom of any bunk must be not less than 12 inches from the deck ; scuppers are to be provided for drainage, and where the drainage passes through a closet or other compartment a pipe, made perfectly tight in the bulkhead, must be fitted for the drainage to flow through, and not into the adjoining compartment. Great weight is laid on the shutting off of effluvium from cargo and bilge water, and it is stated that scuttles or hatchways opening from a forecastle into a store room must be properly fitted and provided with means for screwing down on indiarubber or other suitable and soft and elastic substance. Bulkheads are to be tongued, grooved, and doubled with felt between. With regard to closet accommodation, it is pointed out that in small vessels enclosed closets are difficult of arrangement, and in cases of this kind a strong seat with a shoot pan passing through the side should be provided. The privies in large vessels are to be so built, fitted, and situated that no unpleasant smell from them will enter the place occupied by the crew. The amount of convenience is given as two closets, or one double closet, if the spaces are certified for 20 men, and so on in proportion. Then follow the rules for calculating tonnage of crew spaces for deductions, and the instructions conclude with paragraph 71, which states that properly constructed closets below the upper deck, if used solely by the crew, may be deducted from the register tonnage. It will be at once seen these instructions go far to ensure for the accommodation of the crew substantially constructed, well lighted, adequately ventilated, dry, well drained, and healthy spaces, and the important question arises as to how far these are carried out in practice. Firstly, with regard to floor space. It is a common occurrence to find a cabin with a clear superficial area of 18 to 20 feet, and sometimes even less, certified to accommodate two seamen, notwithstanding the regulation that 12 feet is required for each person. It is an every day experience to see crew spaces in which ordinary print can be read only in some parts. With bunks in three tiers the lower ones are practically never 12 inches from the deck, and with two tiers only this interval is often not obtained. D 2 16 The provision of a pipe scupper to carry drainage from a forecastle through a closet is oft-times neglected, and, as a consequence, the closet is directly ventilated into the crew's quarters. Ventilation, even in lower forecastles, where it is urgently needed, is in some cases totally unprovided for, and the clause as to ventilating privies is constantly ignored. The shutting off from crew spaces of effluvium from cargo or bilge water seems to receive scant attention, and it is probable that there is not a single vessel trading to the Port of London on which could be found provision for screwing down a store room hatch on indiarubber or other elastic substance. There are still vessels met with, from time to time, in which the iron decks are not sheathed over the bunks. The closet accommodation is frequently not up to the standard of two closets for every 20 men. Bulkheads are not found to be tongued and grooved, and doubled with intervening felt, as laid down in the instructions, and, finally, the closets on many small vessels are not provided with a shoot or pan passing through the side. Shortly, the compulsory carrying out of all these regulations, which are supposed to be complied with before deductions are allowed, forms the main part of the duty of the officers of a Port Sanitary Authority, and as a means of preserving the health of crews probably the most important part. Even where in the case of a new ship (and this is rare) all these items have been insisted upon, there is always need for frequent subsequent inspections. Except in the case of a passenger vessel, or where re-registry is required, or a complaint has been lodged, the Board of Trade Surveyors do not inspect the crew spaces a second time, so that the necessity for sanitary inspection is apparent, especially when it is remembered how many deficiencies arise owing to wear and tear, economy, and alterations ordered by the owner or master. Ships, for example, where two privies originally existed are found to have only one, the other at some person's desire having been converted into a store room. Again, scuttles in forecastles are broken by the anchor or sea, and instead of guarding a new one, the opening is filled in with an iron plate, and perhaps one-third of the available daylight thus shut out. The simple fact that a day never passes without some one or other of these or similar defects being discovered by your officers, and remedied in consequence, will show the great value of a Port Sanitary Administration. 17 It is, however, with the small amount of superficial and cubic space allotted to a seaman that I wish more particularly to deal, and I would at once state that 12 feet of deck space and 72 cubic feet are not sufficient for healthy and reasonably convenient accommodation. The usual argument made use of by the advocates of these limited spaces is the abundance of fresh air always obtainable at. sea, and the partial occupation owing to the men being divided into watches. At sea in fine weather there is some force in this argument, as one-half of the seamen will always be found on duty, and one-third of the firemen in the engine-room and stokehold. But it must not be forgotten that in bad weather the fresh air to a great extent must be kept out in order that the sea water may not also be admitted, and that in cold weather most of the openings will certainly be closed. Then there are those of the crew termed "idlers," such as the carpenter, cook, sailmaker, &c., who are off duty all night and, as a rule, are berthed in the same cabin. It must also be remembered that while lying in harbour, the watches are not kept, and the air is not always the freshest. Of course in warm places, as Calcutta, &c., a large proportion of the hands sleep on deck under awnings, but even then there are rainy seasons when this cannot be done. Even apart from the question of air space there is the one of room to move about, and it is in the places where the "idlers" are berthed, and, consequently, Avhere the space is most needed, that one finds the least deck area and cubic capacity. In the following table will be found particulars of 27 steamers and 12 sailing vessels of various tonnage and engaged in all classes of trade:— 18 STEAMERS. Name. Sailors. Firemen. Petty Officers. No. Certified for No. Certified for No. Certified for Pakeha 11 19 13 20 2 4 Mount Lebanon 8 24 10 18 2 2 Gulf of Genoa 10 28 13 28 2 8 Chingwo 11 22 15 17 2 3 Gulf of Venice 10 20 Chinese 13 20 2 2 Castledale 6 13 9 13 2 2 Rannoch 6 13 6 12 — — Cuba 7 12 6 12 2 3 Benlawers 11 12 13 12 — — Nedjed 7 13 Chinese 8 13 2 3 Monte Videan 12 12 10 12 2 1 1 1 Linda 7 14 8 14 1 2 Radnorshire 10 16 8 16 3 3 Chinese 6 5 Curfew 7 19 6 18 2 3 Godiva 6 9 4 8 2 1 Glenearn Umkuzi 10 9 14 11 13 Chinese 8 16 11 2 2 Maroon 5 14 5 11 4 • 4 Beatrice 7 12 8 10 2 2 Annandale 6 11 6 11 2 3 Amaranth 8 21 8 21 2 2 Cyclops 10 18 10 11 5 7 Larne Sailors and Fire men together in Hammoc ks = 25. Certified for 32 2 4 City of Khios 11 15 10 15 Quarter-Masters 6 6 Boatswain & Carpenter 2 4 Donkeyman and 2 others 3 equal 2 Parkmore 10 19 13 19 4 6 City of Vienna 16 22 16 22 2 2 Henriette H. 6 9 6 9 2 3 Total 227 412 251 394 65 85 19 SAILING VESSELS. Name. | Sailors. Apprentices. Petty Officers. No. Certified for No. Certified, for No. Certified for Tilkhurst 13 26 — — 3 3 Holliirwood 16 27 8 11 — — Otaki 12 20 — — — — Nile 18 52 4 4 4 6 The Hahnemann 16 26 6 6 5 6 Hinemoa 20 20 — — — — Orthes 10 43 4 6 4 6 Buckingham 20 26 7 8 4 4 Mary Ann 4 6 — — — — Ivy 2 5 — — — — Astrea 5 10 — — — — Snnbean 3 5 — — — — Total 139 266 29 35 20 25 It will be seen that the space occupied by the sailors and firemen is almost invariably above the legal requirements so far as capacity is concerned. In only one instance are European firemen limited to their bare space, and in only one case is a sailors' forecastle occupied by the full number for which it is certified. The first is the steam ship "Monte Videan,'' of Glasgow, built in 1887, and owned by Messrs. Allan Brothers. Here 12 firemen occupied a space certified for the same number, but containing 14 bunks. The four-masted sailing ship "Hinemoa," of Glasgow, built in 1890, affords an instance of 20 sailors having their exact legal limit, and, as a general observation, it is found that, as a rule, the newer the vessel the more likely are the crew to be limited to the legal minimum. In this latter vessel it was remarked that the men got in each other's way, and could not dress rapidly, so that if wanted on deck to shorten sail, they had to be roused earlier than ought to have been necessary. This was in a deck-house seven feet high, and clearly the case would have been worse in a low forecastle. 20 While the sailors and firemen who occupy their quarters in shifts when at sea, have been seen to enjoy extra space to the extent of twice and three times the amount to which they are entitled by law, the "idlers" will have been found to be very much worse off, and in some cases this remark applies also to the officers and engineers. For instance, in the steam ship "Mount Lebanon," of Glasgow, built in 1881, there are eight sailors occupying a space certified for 24, and 10 firemen in a space certified for 18, while, on the other hand, the boatswain and carpenter have only the bare space allowed for two seamen, although a considerable proportion of the space is occupied by a large chest of tools. Cases of this kind are very common, and in the steam ship " Monte Videan " it will be seen that the boatswain and boatswain's mate had not even their legal limit, inasmuch as they occupied a cabin certified to accommodate one seaman only. It is not usual to find more bunks in any space than the number for which it is certified, nor should it be permitted, as it obviously leads to encourage overcrowding. Much ignorance prevails among seafaring men on the subject of crew space. For example, on one steamer an officer was recently asked if he knew how to determine the number of men that might lawfully be carried in a certain space, and at once gave as his answer, " The number of bunks always " tells you." While yet another stated in reply to the same question, " As " many bunks as you can put into a place is the number of men it will hold." To show how wide this answer was of the truth it is only necessary to quote the case of the steam ship "Parkmore," of Liverpool, built in 1890. On this vessel there are five compartments containing bunks in excess of the number of men they will lawfully accommodate, the two worst cases being in quarters allotted to cattlemen. There are six bunks in a cabin aft which is certified for four seamen, and in another cattlemen's space forward there are 18 bunks, although the area is only sufficient for 12 seamen. It is stated that these bunks are all occupied when the vessel carries a full complement of cattle. On two large steamers during the past year it was found that the superficial area of cabins occupied by officers was below that allowed to seamen. The largest amount of space was found recently on a steamer, " Straits of Belle Isle," built 22 years ago, where 10 firemen were found occupying a forecastle that was certified for 42 seamen. When this steamer was built, the engine-room crew, owing to type of boilers 21 and engines then in use, was probably three times as large as it is now, so that the large amount of space is due to the reduction in number of men required. This also applies to deck-hands, owing to the adoption of steam steering gear and other labour-saving appliances. But as this reduction of hands comes about but slowly, and cannot be carried far, if at all, beyond the present low limit, it is useless to reckon upon it as a relief to overcrowding. On most new vessels one can see that economy of space is the order of the day, and old vessels having extensive alterations carried out leave the builders'' yards with diminished space for the crews. Hence the extreme importance of at once considering this question with a view to the amendment of the law with respect to the crew's accommodation in all vessels to be built or remodelled in the future. More space is urgently required, and, in addition to this extension, both of area and cubic capacity, the insulation of iron interiors, both at the sides and overhead, should be made compulsory. A minimum of 16 square feet deck space clear of the bunks and all incumbrances, Avith a height of not less than six feet would be a reasonable one, and would, I feel certain, be cordially accepted by all the better class of shipowners. The law would protect the seamen against all others. Especially is this increased space required for officers and petty officers who, in the interests of the owners, should certainly be treated better even than the sailors and firemen, but who at the present time not only actually receive less consideration in this respect, but are also precluded by their position from complaining of the inconvenience to which they have to submit. SMALL-POX. While London has happily been practically free from small-pox during the half-year, several cases have been imported in vessels arriving from foreign parts. On the 12th November the steam ship " Blairmount" came in with a case on board. He was at once removed to the Port Sanitary Hospital, with all his effects, the vessel fumigated, and re-vaccination offered gratuitously to the rest of the crew, but, as usual, advantage was not taken of the latter precaution. The ship left Genoa on the 2nd October and arrived on the 6th at Catacola, leaving on the 9th for Patras, which she reached the same day. E 22 Here she laid for six days, returning to Catacola on the 15th, and remaining there till the 20th, whence she again went to Patras. She finally left Patras on 27th October and reached Gravesend on 11th November, the patient being taken ill on 11th November. It is clear from these dates that the infection was derived either from Patras or Catacola, though it is stated that the patient did not go on shore at either of these ports. On the 27th December the steam ship "Annie Ainslie" arrived from Burriana and Valencia. The day after a seaman was taken ill and was supposed to be suffering from a cold. On the 31st the case was diagnosed as small-pox and reported. The Port Sanitary Hospital at that time was not available, and the patient was therefore sent to the Asylum Board's Hospital and the usual precautions taken. The ship arrived at Burriana on the 10th and left again on the 14th, leaving again for "Valencia, which she reached on the same day and left the next morning (15th). The patient had been on shore at Valencia, and here, no doubt, the disease was contracted. The history of the steam ship "Brazilian," partly narrated in my last Report, as now completed presents extraordinary and interesting features. She came in on the 7th May, 1891, when a severe case of confluent smallpox was removed to the Port Sanitary Hospital, the vessel fumigated, and vaccination offered to the officers and crew, but declined by all. She left London again on the 16th May, arriving at Montreal on 6th June. On the 19th May the master was attacked (12 days after the removal of first case), the fourth engineer on the 23rd, and an apprentice on the 26th. These were all taken to the St. Laurence Quarantine Station on the 30th May. Here the crew were compulsorily re-vaccinated, which, unfortunately, could not be enforced in this country, and the vessel detained six days for fumigation. On the 7th, the day after arriving at Montreal, the steward was attacked and sent to hospital. Leaving Montreal on 11th, the engineer and apprentice were taken on board as convalescent, but four days later the apprentice was taken ill with what appeared to be a second attack. She reached London on 24th June, when she was again fumigated. This in itself is a remarkable history, as showing how the disease may be conveyed from Buenos Ayres to London, and from London to Montreal, in 23 consequence of the refusal of the crew to accept the obvious protection of vaccination when offered gratuitously. But the mischief did not end here. On the 13th June, Dr. Russell, the Medical Officer of Health for Glasgow, reported the following facts:— "On the 1st June, I received notification of the illness of an inmate of the "Sailors' Home from reported small-pox. The case I found to be very well "marked, and after a muster of all hands I picked out three other cases "among the residents; and two of the staff who were at home ill, one living "in a neighbouring street and one on the south side, were all found to have "small-pox—all in the first stage of the disease. "These six cases were removed to Belvedere at once. "The whole staff of attendants were at once re-vaccinated, and as many of "the boarders as required, as well as the families of the two servants. "In all, 58 persons were thus re-vaccinated. "There can be no doubt that it originated in some mild and unobserved "cases among the seamen boarders. An interesting fact in support of this "view is the occurence of another case in the person of a gentleman living "in a suburban burgh, who has a boot and shoe shop in the western part of "Argyle Street, to which sailor customers occasionally come. He remembers "assisting some sailors about a fortnight before his illness. It is confirm"atory of the view that groups his case with the Sailors' Home cases, to "find that all sickened in three days, viz. : two on 27th, three on 29th, "and two (a seaman and this gentleman) on the 30th May. "All these facts point to one source of dissemination, temporarily settled "in the Sailors' Home and therefore telling chiefly there, but also moving "about in the community. "I therefore advised the Superintendent to admit no new boarders or "casual visitors for 14 days. This was attended to and the outbreak "arrested. "On further enquiry it was found that 17 men were sent to Liverpool on "13th May, among whom were two brothers named Laurence Nicholson "and Angus Nicholson. "One of these men, Laurence, was traced to Glasgow, and lived in the "Sailors' Home from the 16th May to the 12th June, and although he "himself is not proved to have small-pox, there can be little doubt that such "was the case, and that he in turn infected the seven other cases. e 2 24 "The other brother was stated to have gone direct to Shetland. No case "of small-pox has been known in Shetland for twelve years, and the man "is now known to be an inhabitant of Skye." But even this does not complete the story. One of the men, who slept in the Sailors' Home, Glasgow, went on to Campbeltown on the following day, and there developed small-pox. Thus, from Buenos Ayres, infection was conveyed by this vessel to London, Montreal, Glasgow and Campbeltown. A simple diagram will tend to make this clear:— Infection derived from BUENOS AYBES. One case removed to Port Sanitary Hospital, 7th May. Re-vaccination refused. Master attacked, 19th May. 16 men went to Liverpool, not traced. Laurence Nicholson, to Glasgow, there from 16th May to 12th June, not known to have had small-pox. Angus Nicholson, to Shetland, ill, not traced. 4th Engineer, 23rd May. Apprentice, 26th May, 2nd attack, 15th June one of these men developed small-pox at Campbeltown. Steward (at Montreal), 7th June, Infected by one of above. 2 cases, 27th May, 3 cases, 29th May, Glasgow. 2 cases, 30th May, ENTERIC FEVER. On the 9th July the steam ship "Taroba," on arrival, sent a patient to the Seamen's Hospital, where he was found to have enteric fever and reported. The vessel left Brisbane on the 12th May, the man was taken ill three days before the ship came in, but was not known to have enteric fever. The fact, however, of his illness, should have been reported to Her Majesty's Customs on arrival, and an entry to this effect made in the official log. Neither of these formalities had been complied with, and information was therefore given to this effect to both the Board of Trade and Her Majesty's Customs. A stronger argument in favour of power of compulsory vaccination of all persons who have been exposed to the infection of small-pox can hardly be conceived. 25 The Board of Trade, after due enquiry, replied that they had cautioned the master in this particular instance, and were prepared in future to prosecute such cases—a promise which has been since fulfilled. The Board of Her Majesty's Customs find that the questions were put in such a manner as to preclude their being able to obtain a conviction for false answers. This important matter was at once taken up by your Worshipful Committee, and is now being placed upon such a footing as to render escape from the consequences of an untrue statement impossible for the future. In this country, where quarantine (except for yellow fever and plague) is obsolete, and where the greatest possible care is taken to prevent delay or hindrance of any kind to the great interests of trade, it is essential that every assistance shall be given by owners and masters, and 110 single safeguard can be allowed to fall into disrepute. So far as the keeping up of the official log is concerned, experience shows that there has been great laxity, and masters have gradually developed the idea that only cases of serious illness are to be entered. The Merchant Shipping Act, however, clearly lays down that the master shall make an entry of "every case of illness or injury happening to any "member, with the nature thereof, and the medical treatment adopted "(if any)." There is no limitation, and it certainly cannot be the master's duty, {inasmuch as it is obviously beyond his power) to diagnose the nature of the illness, or to decide whether it is serious or not. The master of the steam ship Clyde" (P. and 0.) having failed to enter in his official log cases of illness which occurred on the voyage, the facts were reported to the Board of Trade, who, in accordance with their promise, ordered a prosecution. The disease was influenza, but the magistrate, on hearing the case, held that the nature of the illness was not in question, and that the men having been off duty for some days, the fact should have been duly entered in the official log. There had been a distinct breach of the Act, and in the case of a man who had been off duty for 17 days he imposed a fine of 5l., and in three others where the time was five, six, and six days respectively, a fine of 1l. each, together with the costs of the summonses. The magistrate farther declined to state a case. This decision is one of the greatest value, and now that it is established will doubtless have great weight with masters of vessels. 26 On the 23rd September a case of enteric fever was reported on steam ship " Deerhill," lying in the Commercial Dock, and on visiting the vessel two other cases were found. They were all taken to the Port Sanitary Hospital. She had been lying for some time at Ibrail, where the disease was contracted. On the 26th September it was reported that a man who had left his barge "Connaught" at Gravesend on 14th was suffering from enteric fever. On enquiry it was found that he had been taken ill on the 10th, but that the disease was not diagnosed until the 22nd, when no certificate was sent under the Notification Act, as the man was not then living in the Port, and it was not considered that he had become infected therein. The barge was, therefore, at once fumigated. On the 18th October a patient with enteric fever was taken to the Port Sanitary Hospital from the Russian vessel " Nicolai Sivland," and the vessel fumigated. She arrived on the 5th, and the man was not attacked until the 7th. She had been visited on arrival, and had reported " all well." On the 18th November another case of enteric fever was reported on the steam ship "Devonshire," lying in Dudman's Dock. She left Sunderland on the 5th, and the patient was first taken ill on the 9th. He was sent to the Port Sanitary Hospital with all his effects, and the vessel fumigated. During the last half-year the question was raised as to how far masters of vessels were aware of the liability to penalty for failing to report infectious disease, and more especially as to efficacy of the system adopted by the Authority to inform them on the point. Careful enquiries were made and it was shown that the present system worked well, that masters generally showed knowledge of their obligations, and that in some cases where this was denied, evidence was forthcoming as to the repeated service of notice. The means taken to procure publicity are as follows:— (1.) A copy of the regulations has on three occasions been sent with a circular letter to every owner, or broker, of vessels trading to London, to every shipping office and yacht club. (2.) Notices of the provisions of the Notification Act are posted on specially prepared enamelled iron boards at all the steamboat piers, pier-heads, and at certain points throughout the docks and wharves on the river. The number of such boards in present use is 74. 27 (3.) A notice is handed to the officer of every vessel boarded by Her Majesty's Customs, on arrival at Gravesend. In this way alone about 11,000 notices are issued annually. (4.) A special notice is left on board each vessel when visited by your Inspector, either in the docks or on the river, with the name of the vessel written in, the counterfoil being filled in at the same time and retained for reference at your office. Over 71,000 of these notices have been issued. INFECTED CLOTHING. In spite of all the trouble the Board of Trade and the Port Sanitary Authority have taken to prevent the sending home without proper disinfection the clothing of persons who have died from infectious disease, cases still occur of this dangerous practice. During the half-year the effects of 19 deceased seamen have been stopped and fumigated for this reason by your officers. In two cases the deaths were from enteric fever, in two dysentery, in three "fever," in one typhus, in four yellow fever, in five cholera, and in two no information was given. As five of these consignments were sent by consuls or shipping masters, notice thereof was sent to the Board of Trade. THE HOSPITAL. During the past six months four cases have been admitted and treated, three of these being enteric fever and one small-pox. It is my duty once again to call attention to the dangerously incomplete condition of the hospital as regards isolation for small-pox. Originally intended to have a distinct pavilion, separated by a considerable interval from the rest of the buildings, and so arranged as to have isolated administration, this completion has unfortunately never been carried out. Sooner or later, unless such accommodation be provided, trouble is sure to arise, and I am anxious to place the position of things fairly before your Worshipful Committee, leaving the decision and responsibility in your hands. The proposal of the authorities of the "Worcester" Training Ship, if agreed to, would have exactly met the difficulty, while helping the proposers out of a very awkward predicament. 28 They have no isolation hospital, and are unable to obtain a site on shore at any cost, while the Corporation has the land vacant, and needs only a separate building. The proposal, however, has been rejected, and no fresh application has been since made. It must, therefore, be supposed to have been finally abandoned. At the end of December, owing to complaints, the Chairman summoned an informal meeting of the Sub-Committee to consider the position of the caretakers. After due investigation it was resolved to discharge both the existing caretakers, to appoint one temporarily to fill the vacancy until the Grand Committee should meet in February and deal with the whole question. METROPOLITAN SEWAGE. Stale and wearisome as this great problem undoubtedly is, it can never fail to be of interest to your officers, closely connected as it is with the Public Health of London, and having so great an influence as it undoubtedly would have on the course of any epidemic which may visit our Metropolis. The London County Council have definitely decided to continue their treatment of the sewage by precipitation, and on the 13th October, 1891, on a report from the Main Drainage Committee, resolved:—(a) "That, subject to "an estimate to be submitted to the Council by the Finance Committee as "required by the Statute, two additional sludge ships of a type similar to the "steam ship 'Bazalgette' be obtained; that the engineer be instructed to "obtain the necessary plans and specifications for this purpose, and that an "advertisement be issued inviting tenders for the construction of the ships," and:(b) "That for the purpose of introducing the system of continuous "treatment of the sewage at the Crossness out-fall, the necessary weir walls "be erected, and that the work be executed under Mr. Webster's contract "for the precipitation works." The report of the engineer and chemist of the Board on which the above resolutions were passed points out— That the original design of the works at Barking and Crossness was to treat the sewage by deposition and precipitation in separate channels on the intermittent system, and this plan was brought into operation at Barking. That at Barking, although the great bulk of the solid matter was precipitated, vet that a considerable quantity escaped with the effluent when the telescopic weirs were lowered, and that with a view to prevent this loss they suggested fixed masonry weirs, and continuous treatment of the sewage. 29 These were gradually constructed, the first being in use during the last week in July, and all the thirteen before the end of September. The result was that while from the commencement of the year up to the week ending 25th July the average weekly quantity of sludge sent to sea had been about 7,000 tons, that from the week ending 1st August up to the week ending 15th September the average weekly output of sludge had risen to 20,000 tons. They further state that there can, therefore, be no doubt that were this system adopted in its entirely, both at Barking and Crossness, an effluent would be produced practically free from suspended matter. Looking to the future they estimate that the quantity of sludge to be removed when both Barking and Crossness are in full working order will not be less than 30,000 to 35,000 tons per week, and are of opinion that the fleet of vessels should be kept up to five—four to be on full work, and one undergoing repairs or boiler cleaning. Finally, giving carefully calculated figures, they prove beyond any doubt that to attempt to press and dry the sludge would be much more costly than throwing it overboard at the mouth of the Thames, and, further, that there would be a great difficulty in disposing of it after such treatment. This Report gives a clear idea of the present position of the works, and shows that until the beginning of August last, although 20,000 tons of sludge were being produced weekly at great expense, no less than two-thirds of this was allowed to flow into the river with the effluent. It is expected that the works at Crossness will be completed before the summer of the present year, and that then the full quantity of sludge will be produced. It would certainly be absurd and unfair to criticise the working of a scheme which is not yet completed. And, further, it must be remembered that the river is full of foul and offensive mud, the result of sewage and sludge already discharged, and that even if there were a total diversion of all sewage matter from the river, a considerable time, probably one or two years, must elapse before this could be entirely removed, and the water resume its normal condition of purity. Hence it would seem that before the scheme can in any way be fairly judged, Londoners must allow the thorough adoption and testing of all the details, which practically means waiting some years before coming to a decision on the question. The present condition is a disgraceful one, and matters can hardly become worse than they are. There has been, so far, no result from which we are entitled to predict a final success. There has, up to the present, been no such improvement of the river since the process has been in partial operation as to make us sanguine as to the future, when the whole system is in work. F 30 The London County Council is pledged to do all that is possible, and is confident of success. It is therefore entitled to a fair trial, even if adopting a system which has been condemned by so many scientific experts. The last summer has been a wet one, with low temperature. The water was, therefore, less offensive than during the hotter summers of former years, but the fact that its actual condition remained unchanged was patent enough to every one after a few days' rise of temperature. A report submitted by the Chemist of the Council on the condition of the river at Crossness at high and low water during July and August, fully confirms the previous reports of your Medical Officer. This Report, dated 24th September, 1891, states : " That the water at "Crossness was reasonably clear at high tide; at low tide it was very clear "on seven occasions, clear on thirty-three, cloudy on twenty-six, dirty on "twelve, cloudy and black, or with bad odour, on three, and on four occasions "dirty black patches were observed. "From June 1st to 25th, the water was almost invariably clear ; during the "following week it was rather turbid, with black patches on June 30th. "From July 1st to 10th it was again clear, but was cloudy, with black "patches, from 11th to 14th. "It was again dirty from 18th to 28rd July. "From 27th July until 15th August, the water was either cloudy, dirty, "or having an objectionable odour ; from that date until 20th ultimo the "water was clear; it, however, possessed an objectionable odour, and was "cloudy in appearance on August 21st, 22nd, 24th and 25th ; from 26th "August till 2nd September an improvement was noticed, the water being "either cloudy or clear; on the 3rd it was dirty, since which date until 19th "inst. it was invariably clear. It was, however, again dirty on the 21st "inst. It will therefore be seen that while on these days the water was cer"tainly objectionable, from either appearance or odour, at or near low water, it "was free from nuisance at that time of the tide during the remainder of the "season until 21st inst., and at all times at high water." According to this report, at low water the river was in an unfit condition during 15 days in July, and 19 days in August, during an unusually cold and wet season. NUISANCES. Special mention need be made of only one or two cases in which nuisances of an uncommon character have been dealt with. 31 During July great complaints were made by the authorities of the training ship "Cornwall," and the inhabitants of Purfleet generally, as to the serious nuisance caused by the deposition on the low-lying land of dustbin refuse by the Kensington Vestry. The Committee having visited the place, the matter was referred to the City Solicitor to endeavour to come to some arrangement with the Kensington Authority, whereby without in any way hampering them in their attempt to get rid of their refuse, an undoubted nuisance might be effectually prevented. The Solicitor advised that the Medical Officers of the two Authorities should confer upon the spot, and agree to some simple way out of the difficulty. This was done, and it was decided to recommend that the cause for complaint be removed by a disinfectant being used at the tip, where the main nuisance appeared to be caused. That lime freely sprinkled here from time to time, and at the close of each day's operations, would probably suffice for the purpose. That, further, the general body of the deposit should be covered to the depth of two or three inches with earth, which would act as a disinfectant, and planted with turnip or other quick-growing seed, which would soon destroy any offensive smell. If earth were not available, sifted ashes might be used, or even slop ; and lastly, that slop be shot upon the refuse at the tip, where nuisance is most likely to be found. These recommendations were submitted by Dr. Dudfield to the Vestry, approved of, and ordered to be carried into effect forthwith. During August an unususl nuisance was caused by the body of a dead whale, which had become stranded on the shore at Greenhithe above high water mark, and, decomposing there, gave rise to serious complaint. No owner could be found for the misguided creature, and as it would not pay to remove for the sake of the oil, it was decided to bury it upon the spot. This was therefore done at a cost to the Port Authority of 12l. CANVEY ISLAND. The sanitary supervision of the Island is carried out by periodical visits of an inspector, the average interval being about every three weeks in the winter, and about a fortnight in the summer. The Vicar has, moreover, kindly undertaken to notify any illness or sanitary matter requiring attention at other times. f 2 32 The well continues to furnish an abundant supply of fresh water, the character of which was investigated during the last summer by your Medical Officer, and found to continue satisfactory. When projected, it was with the intention of supplying about one-third of the inhabitants of the Island, but in consequence of the quality of the water, the ample supply, and its convenient position on the main road, fresh consumers are constantly being added to the list, until at the present time fully three-fourths of the inhabitants are now dependent upon it. Among the alterations carried out during the last half-year may be noted four new privies, constructed on the pail system, drainage in one case diverted from a public ditch, where it caused a serious nuisance, and the provision in two instances of a proper water tank supplied from the public well, where formerly the inhabitants were dependent either upon rain water, or a neighbouring ditch. These last two complete the provision of a water supply to every house and farm on the Island. This result alone would justify the time, trouble, and expense that the Port Sanitary Authority has bestowed upon Canvey during the last few years. UNSOUND FOODS. la Appendix H will be found a detailed list of all seizures of unsound meat and tood during the half-year. It will be seen that although 34 distinct seizures were made, yet the quantity in all cases was small. The list includes fresh carcases of mutton, beef, pork, kidneys, hares, coffee, apples, tinned sardines, and tomatoes. In all cases the consent of the owners was obtained for destruction, and all expenses paid by them. CANAL BOATS ACTS, 1877 and 1884. In accordance with the provisions of Section 4 of the Canal Boats Act, 1884, I herewith submit a short Report on the working of the Acts in the Port of London during the year 1891. There has been no change in the jurisdiction of the Authority as defined by Law, although in consequence of a misunderstanding with an adjoining authority an arrangement has been made whereby a small part of the Surrey Canal is now visited by the Rotlierhithe Inspector, whereas formerly the officers of both authorities travelled over the same ground to their mutual dissatisfaction. 33 The original plan of considering Canal Boats simply as vessels, and placing them under the charge of the Inspectors for each district, has been found to work well, and therefore no special Canal Boat Inspector has been appointed. The statistics of boats visited is given in the Appendix. The total number inspected during the twelve months was 445, as against 557 in the year 1890. These registered for 1,437 carried only 947 ; of these 395 were found to be in conformity with the Acts and Regulations, leaving only 50 in which there was any cause for complaint. Most of these were, moreover, minor offences, and in no single instance were any legal proceedings taken. The system of sending with a notice of complaint, a form of Certificate to be filled up by a duly constituted Inspector and returned, has now been in operation for eighteen months, and the result is certainly satisfactory. In the majority of instances such certificates find their way back, and in practically all cases the defects are properly remedied. Absence of certificate is gradually becoming rarer, and is nearly always due to the carelessness of the Master. It frequently happens, that a boat is measured and the fee paid, while the certificate may be delayed by the Registration Authority for weeks or even months. It would be well in these cases if the Registration Authority granted some provisional pass or certificate, setting forth the actual facts of the case and explaining the cause of absence. Overcrowding is also becoming less common. The certainty of detection has a powerful influence on both owners and masters. Unfortunately, however, the law itself tends to encourage the most dangerous kind of overcrowding, viz., the carrying of very young children. It is not uncommon, for instance, to find a boat registered for two adults and three children, carrying two adults and say four children, the youngest being an infant of only a few months. With these cases one is powerless to deal. If proceedings are taken no conviction will follow. The law says a child under a certain age is to have half the allowance of an adult, and the natural inference is, that the younger the child, the less space it requires. This may be true so far as the actual space occupied by its body is concerned, but it is perfectly certain that an abundant supply of fresh air is even of greater importance to an infant than to a grown person. Firstly, because on the due supply of light and air the development of the child depends, and secondly, because in bad weather and at night when the scanty 34 arrangements for ventilation are most likely to be not in work, these infants are certain to remain constantly witbin tbe stuffy cabin. It must also be remembered that although an infant's lungs are smaller and contain a less amount of air, nevertheless the breathing is more rapid, and the result of mal-oxidization far more hurtful. Moreover, any indulgence (given with a mistaken idea of kindness), in the case of infants, only tends to keep the women and other young children on the boats—an objectionable result in all cases. If a mother is compelled to remove her babe, she is certain to take with her the other younger ones of her family, and the removal of every woman or child from a canal boat is a distinct and decided step in advance. Whether one considers the point, either from the view of decency, morality, education, or health, the limited space of a canal boat cabin cannot afford a suitable home for the rearing of a family. The result of the Acts, undoubtedly, was, for some time, to lessen the number of family boats, but lately this influence has not been so marked. There are many reasons, the main one obviously being the financial one. A poor boatman earning just enough to live upon is scarcely open to conviction on the question. Living together, he feels he can support his family, but if he has to keep up two establishments, one must suffer. The registration of new boats proceeds very slowly, owing to reasons previously given. Only thirteen have been registered within the last year, while two have been re-registered on account of some change ; this leaves the number on the register 221. A certificate of registration has been cancelled in one case only, though many boats are known to be no longer used as residences. If, however, they are duly marked, and carry their certificates on board, they are still considered as canal boats. There is one point in the inspection of canal boats to which I would specially call attention, and of which the boatmen complain very much. Inspectors are frequently appointed who have no special knowledge of boats, and thus cause considerable trouble by their unreasonable demands. It may not be necessary, nor even wise, to appoint a seaman in every case, but an inspector should certainly have a thorough knowledge of boats and boatmen before he enters upon his duties. The same remarks apply also to the certificate of registration, which is obviously made out by the authority on the report of its inspector. The certificate is sometimes shown and an interpretation asked for. Thus a boat was met with, registered for six adult persons, 35 male or female; or a man, wife or four children ; or man, wife and boy over 14. As a consequence, the master of the boat is quite unaware of the number which he may lawfully carry. The simplest and best plan is to give the number of adults which may be carried, each child being reckoned as half an adult, and subject only to the regulation as to the mixing of the sexes. This would only necessitate the alteration of the cubic space allowed per adult head from 60 to 80 feet, an amount which cannot from any point of view be considered excessive. Happily I have to record no case of infectious disease during the twelve months. The Acts continue to be popular among those whom they are intended to protect, and are fairly well complied with by the owners. The condition of the boatmen is improving, and will do so more quickly in proportion as the children are kept on shore, and come under the influence of national education, when they will then no longer be contented to be on a lower level than the corresponding class on shore. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, WILLIAM COLLINGRIDGE, M.D., Medical Officer of Health, Port of London. 36 SUMMARY OF CANAL BOATS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER, 1891. January. February. March. April. lay. Jane. July. August. September. October. November. December. TOTAL. Remarks. New boats registered 3 • • • 1 1 3 1 2 1 ... 1 ... 13 Re-registered owing to structural alterations • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Re-registered for other reasons • • • ... • • • ... ... • • • 1 ... ... ... 1 2 Cancelled ... ... • • • • • • ... • • • ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Inspected ... 20 32 38 47 32 29 41 58 48 34 35 31 445 Registered for 1,437 persons, carrying 947. Conforming to Acts and Regulations 16 26 38 46 25 26 35 53 45 29 30 26 395 Infringing in respect to :— Registration 2 • • • • • • 1 • • • ... 4 ... • • • ... 1 • • • 8 Notification of change of master • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • ... ... ... • • • ... Absence of certificate 1 1 • • • 1 2 1 • • • 2 1 1 • • • 2 12 Certificate not identifying owner with boat • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 2 3 Marking, &c. • • • 1 • • • • • • • • • 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 14 Overcrowding • • • 1 • • • • • • 2 • • • 1 1 • • • 2 ... 1 8 Partition separating sexes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... ... ... Male oyer age • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 ... • • • 2 Females over age • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • ... • • • 1 Cleanliness • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • ... Painting • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • Ventilation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • • • • • • • ... Dilapidation 1 2 • • • • • • 2 1 • • • 1 • • • • • • • • • • • • 7 Removal of bilge water • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Without pump • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... Refusal to admit inspector • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • No proper water vessel 1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 • • • • • • 1 • • • 5 Without double bulkhead • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • • • • • • • ... Notification of infectious disease • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • ... Detained for cleansing • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • ... • • • • • • Proceedings taken ... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Cautions given 2 3 • • • 1 3 2 6 4 1 5 3 2 32 „ attended to 2 5 • • • 1 3 4 6 3 0 7 1 1 33 Total registered by Port Sanitary Authority since 1887 226 Cancelled 5 Actual Number on Register, 31st December, 1891 221 37 INDEX TO APPENDICES. Appendix Page A Number of Vessels inspected in each Dock and on River, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891 38 B Number and Nationality of Vessels inspected, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891 39 C List of Effects Disinfected 40 D List of Vessels Fumigated, with Cause 41 E Number of Structural Alterations carried out 42 F Number of Vessels in which Structural Alterations have been ordered, but not yet carried out 42 G Cases of Infectious Disease in the Port of London - - 43 H Particulars of Unsound Meat and Food destroyed by Port Sanitary Authority 44-45 G APPENDIX A. Number of Vessels Inspected in each Dock and on the River, from June 30th to 31st December, 1891. Dock. Number. Number to be Cleaned or Whitewashed. Number of Foul Cargoes. Outward Bound. Sick referred to Hospital. St. Katharine 203 2 — 6 — London 252 13 — 4 3 Regent's Canal '257 5 — 1 — Millwall 685 12 — 69 — West India 477 30 1 58 5 East India 186 5 — 13 — Victoria 415 20 — 29 1 Royal Albert 682 17 — 56 2 Commercial 557 19 — 7 4 Gravesend District 1,583 7 — 17 1 Tilbury 750 43 — 25 — River 1,686 26 1 45 3 Total 7,733 199 2 330 19 Total to 30th June, 1891 331,845 „ ,, 31st December, 1891 7,733 Total 339,578 Total to be cleaned, &c., to 30th June, 1891 19,084 „ „ „ „ „ 31st December, 1891 199 19,283 38 39 APPENDIX B. Number and Nationality of Vessels Inspected, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891. Nationality. Number. Proportion per cent. of Total Number. American 5 .06 Austrian 3 .03 Belgian 17 .21 Brazilian 1 — British 6,516 84.26 Danish 132 1.70 Dutch 32 .41 Finnish 5 .06 French 36 .46 German 324 4.18 Greek 3 .03 Italian 17 .21 Russian 25 .32 Spanish 60 .77 Swedish and Norwegian 557 7.20 Total 7,733 G 2 40 APPENDIX C. Effects Disinfected, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891. Date. Ship's Name. Where from. Date and Cause of Death. Where Disinfected. Date. Cause. 1891. Sept. 15 Westmeath St. Thomas 17 July,'91 11Aug,'91 Enteric Fever On board. „ 15 Miranda - Gibraltar 30 July,'91 2 Aug., '91 Dysentery St. Katharine's Dock House. , 21 Clan Macdonald Madras ? Fever On board. „ 21 Plutarch - Belize - 22 and 24 Feb., 1891 Yellow Fever ,, Oct. 1 Duke of Devonshire. Calcutta 6,3,6,4,and 6 Aug., '91 AsiaticCholera ,, ,, 5 Nigretia - New Orleans 21 July,'91 Yellow Fever ,, 24 Trofast Savannah 6 June, '91 ,, ,, Nov. 1 Telemachus China - 30 July,'91 Fever Royal Albert Dock. ,, 9 Angerton Calcutta 23 Aug.'91 Malarial Fever Tilbury Dock. „ 19 Massilia - Sydney 25 Aug.'91 Typhoid Fever On board. Dec. 7 Rhine Leghorn 22 Oct.,'91 Typhus Fever St. Katharine's Dock House. „ 14 Otaki New Zealand ? ? ,, ,,, ,, ,, ,, „ 29 Brindisi - China ? ? On board. 41 APPENDIX D. Vessels Fumigated, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891. Date. Ship's Name. Steam or Sailing. Where from. Cause of Fumigation. July 7 Garth Castle Steam Cape Town Chicken pox. 10 Taroba ,, Brisbane Typhoid Fever. 20 Clan Mackenzie ,, Calcutta Fever and Ague. September 17 Fonar ,, Philadelphia Enteric Fever. „ 22 Deerhill ,, Ibrail ,, ,, „ 26 Connaught Barge Beckton ,, ,, October 10 Nicolai Sivland Sail St. Petersburg ,, ,, November 4 Mirzapore Steam For China Diphtheria. „ 10 Devonshire ,, Sunderland Typhoid Fever. „ 12 Blairmount ,, Patras Small-pox. „ 19 Massilia ,, Sydney Influenza December 11 Oceana ,, Bombay Diphtheria. „ 31 Annie Ainslie ,, Valencia Small-pox. 42 APPENDIX E. Alterations made, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891. Month. No. of Vessels in which Alterations have been made. Ventilation. Water Tanks. Lighting, heating, cleansing, &c. Total No. of Alterations. July 19 6 2 18 26 August 18 10 4 9 23 September 22 13 4 11 28 October 31 16 3 19 38 November 26 9 1 24 34 December 21 7 — 14 21 Total 137 61 14 95 170 APPENDIX F. Alterations ordered, but not yet carried out, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891. Month. No. of Vessels in which Alterations have been ordered. Ventilation. Water Tanks. Lighting, heating, cleansing, &c. Total No. of Alterations. July — — — — — August 5 I 3 4 8 September 3 I 2 2 5 October 6 2 1 5 8 November 3 2 — 5 7 December 13 5 — 11 16 Total 30 11 6 27 44 43 APPENDIX G. Cases op Infectious Disease in the Port of London, from 30th June to 31st December, 1891. Date. Name of Vessel. Description. Official No. Owners or Brtkers. Where lying. Disease. Source of Infection. case removed to. 1891. July 7 Garth Castle Str. 82,849 Donald Currie & Co. Gravesend Chicken-pox Cape Town - Convalescent on arrival „ 10 Taroba ,, 95,056 British India S. N. Co. Royal Albert Dock Typhoid Fever - Brisbane Seamens' Branch Hospital „ 20 Clan Mackenzie ,, 85,944 Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Tilbury Fever and Ague (?) Seamens Hospital Sept. 22 Deerhill ,, 84,539 Farrar, Groves & Co. Commercial Dock Enteric Fever - Ibrail - Port Sanitary Hospital „ 26 Connaught Sail 79,894 Fletcher, W. Gravesend Ditto - (?) Own residence at Grays. Oct. 10 Nicolai Sivland ,, Russian Hoffman & Co. North fleet Ditto - - - (?) Port Sanitary Hospital Nov. 4 Mirzapore Str. 65,604 P. & O. S. N. Co. Royal Albert Dock Diphtheria (?) Met. Asylums Board Hospital „ 10 Devonshire ,, 73,567 Poole & West Deptford Typhoid Fever- Sunderland - Port Sanitary Hospital „ 12 Blairrnount ,, 94,533 Adams Bros. Gravesend Small-pox Patras - Ditto Dec. 11 Oceana ,, 93,170 P. & O. S. N. Co. Ditto Diphtheria Bombay Died on voyage „ 31 Annie Aiuslie ,, 63,583 Nelson, Duncan & Co. London Dock Small-pox Valencia Met. Asylums Board Hospital 44 APPENDIX H. Condemned Meat, &c., from 30th June to 31st December, 1891. Date. Ship's Name. Official Number. Where lying. Where from. A.mount condemned. 1891. July 6 Port Victor 91,872 Tilbury Melbourne 18 cases fruit. ,, 11 Maori 97,205 Royal Albert Dock New Zealand 53 carcases and 45 pieces mutton. ,, 14 Otarama 98,081 Ditto Ditto 1 carcase mutton, 1 carcase lamb. ,, 14 Massilia 87,404 Ditto Sydney 4 carcases mutton. August 7 Tainui 90,001 Ditto New Zealand 61 carcases and 12 pieces mutton, 9 quarters and 14 pieces beef. ,, 10 Doric 87,847 Ditto Ditto 6 cases apples. ,, 13 Invercargill 68,117 East India Dock Ditto 4 carcases 15 and pieces mutton. ,, 13 Kaikoura 89,627 Royal Albert Dock Ditto 4 carcases and 26 pieces mutton, and 37 packages of rabbits. ,, 18 Duke of Westminster 83,982 Ditto Ditto 7 pieces mutton. ,, 20 Oamaru 71,682 East India Dock Ditto 15 carcases and 31 pieces mutton, and bags kidneys. ,, 24 Grecian 82,296 Royal Albert Dock For Montreal 300 lbs. beef, mutton, and pork. September 7 Wicklow 86,288 Victoria Dock Queensland 9 carcases and 8 pieces mutton. ,, 7 Meath 88,992 Ditto San Nicolas 7 carcases and 2 pieces mutton. ,, 14 Opawa 73,740 West India Dock New Zealand 197 carcases and 43 pieces mutton. ,, 21 Brazilian 97,624 Royal Albert Dock Montreal 8 cases sardines. ,, 7 Duke of Buckingham. 76,899 Ditto New Zealand 3 pieces mutton. ,, 29 Ballaarat 81,838 Ditto Sydney 40 carcases and 25 pieces of mutton. 45 APPENDIX H.—continued. Date. Ship's Name. Official Number. "Where lying. Where from. Amount condemned. 1891. October 2 Aorangi 76,068 Royal Albert Dock New Zealand 9 carcases and 1 piece mutton. ,, 22 Coptic 84,164 Ditto Ditto 4 carcases and 5 pieces mutton. ,, 22 Paramatta 87,377 Ditto Sydney 151 carcases and 68 pieces mutton. ,, 23 Duke of Sutherland 68,220 Ditto New Zealand 9 bags kidneys. ,, 26 Minnesota 94,339 Tilbury Baltimore 566 tins of tomatoes. ,, 29 Wexford 87,34 2 West India Dock River Plate 8 carcases and 25 pieces mutton. ,, 29 Britannia 93,196 Royal Albert Dock Sydney ½ carcase mutton. November 9 Rimutaka 89,652 Ditto New Zealand 57 carcases and 88 pieces of mutton. ,, 13 Massilia 87,404 Ditto Sydney 27 bags of hares. ,, 21 Rangatira 97,216 Dittc New Zealand 21 carcases and 11 pieces of mutton. ,, 23 Wellington Hulk Victoria Dock — 2 carcases and 5 pieces mutton. ,, 24 Elderslie 89,929 S. W. India Dock New Zealand 34 carcases and 33 pieces mutton. ,, 28 Massilia 87,404 Royal Albert Dock Sydney 5 carcases and 10 pieces mutton. December 10 J. C. Pfliiger German Tilbury Honolulu 13 bags coffee. ,, 12 Zenobia 85,071 West India Dock River Plate 20 carcases mutton. ,, 16 Lady Jocelyn 11.923 Victoria Dock New Zealand 106 carcases and 15 pieces mutton. ,, 15 Tainui 90,001 Ditto Ditto 6 pieces mutton. Charles Skipper and Bast, Printers, St. Dunstan's Hill, E.C.