AC4369 PloN 52 100. PORT OP LONDON HEALTH COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH (MONTAGU TRAVERS MORGAN, M.C., M.D. , Ch.B. , D.P.H.) TO 31ST DECEMBER, 1944. PORT OF ' LONDON HEALTH AUTHORITY 5, CHURCH PASSAGE, GUILDHALL, E.-C.2, Telegraphic Address "PORTELTH LONDON". Telephone No, CLERKEN1VELL- 2051.', limits op the port op london. the limits op the port of london as at present defined commence at high-water mark in the river thames at teddington lock, in the county of surrey, and extend down both sides of the river thames to an imaginary straight line drawn from the pilot mark at the entrance of havengore creek, in the county of essex, to the land's end at warden point, in the isle of sheppey, in the county of kentj such point being the north-western limit of the port of faversham, and extend up and include both sides of the river medway to an imaginary straight line drawn from the south-east point of land westward of coalmouth creek, thence across the said river medway to the westernmost point of the piece of land which forms the eastern side of the stangate creek, or. in other words the north-west point of fleet .marsh,' and from thence in a southerly direction to iwade church, in the said county of kent, and thence in a north-easterly direction to elmley chapel in the said isle of sheppey, a supposed direct line from elmley chapel to iwade church, being the western limit of the port of faversham, and the. said port of london includes the islands of havengore creek aforesaid,. called potton and rushley islands, and so much of the said creek and watercourse as extends from it to the town of rochford, and also includes all other islands, rivers, streams, creeks, waters, watercourses, channels, harbours, docks and places within the before-mentioned limits contained, STAFF. List of Officers forming the Staff of the Port of London Health Authority, 31st December, 1944. Office Name of Officer Date of entering the service MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH M.T.Morgan, M.C , M.D., Ch. Bo f D.-P.H, September 1938 DEPUTY Do. øH.M.Willoughby, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.H., D.T.M.& H., R. N, v,Rc May 1929 2 STAFF -Continued Office Name of Officer of enters the Service BOARDING MEDICAL OFFICERS. Grave send ø J.A.Jones, M.B. April 1939 do. do. Ch.B. , D.P.H. J.R.Davies-, M.R.C.S., L.R. C.P. , D T.M.&H. January 1933 do. do. ø G.N,M.,Wishart, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.H. August 1935 do. do. ≠ J.M.Horan, L.R.C.P. & S.i., L.M. March 1940 do do. ≠ S.Vidot August 1944 Sheerness ≠ H. A. Madwar, L, R. C. P. , L.R.F.P.S. December 1927 OFFICE STAFF. Principal Clerk W. C.Barham March 1901 Principal Assistant J.A.Gillis March l914 1st Class " A.W.Moore January 1920 t2nd " " ø W.L.McLorg February 1927 3rd " " ø R.C.Ratliff March 1930 3rd " " øE.V.Smith October 1938 Junior Clerk ≠øD. 7. Steib February 1935 Tempy.Clerical Asst ≠Miss A.L.Swan June 1944 ≠ Miss K.E.Pyman February l944 Charwoman ≠ Mrs.E.S.Veale September 1935 SANITARY INSPECTORS. (Senior) + F.J.JMassie March 1909 + W.J. Berry February 1914 + W.Gray September-1921 + R.Clifford July 1925 ø+ P.W.Coombe December 1924 + B.H. Johnson August 1925 + T.G. Edwards June 1929 ø+ D.E.Madeley September 1932 + C.E.Wright July 1931 ø + J.S.Beattie May 1931 ø+ L.A.R.Hundy January 1934 ø+ T.L.Mackie, M.B.E. M. i.N.A. November 1934 ø+ L.F.J, M cDermott June 1934 sanitary inspectors. (Junior) + G.Dring February 1937 rodent officers. C.F.Woodrow November 1923 C.W.Moody February 1929 E.C.Watkins June 1929 S. a.Croft June 1929 C.Stockton June 1940 rodent control. D.J.Davis August 1941 S.Bouttell July 1941 L.L.Goodsall August 1941 F.D.Cartman January 1943 A. G. Blagdon January 1943 7 STAFF - Continued Office Name of Officer Date of entering the Service DENTON HOSPITAL (temporarily closed). Medical Officer in charge ø H. M.Willoughby May 1929 do. J.R.Davies (acting) April 1935 Sifter in Charge ≠ - Staff Nurse ≠ - Senior Assistant Nurse ≠ - Assistant Nurse ≠ - Cook General ≠ - Wardrnaid ≠ - do. ≠ - Housemaid ≠ - do. ≠ - Hendvman, etc. ≠ - Laimdress ≠ - Gardener W.H.James January 1931 Housekeeper ≠ - TAUNCHES. "Howard Deighton" Master P. J.Wilkins November 1928 Mate ø J.R.Steen March 1926 do. ø J.H.Dehnam April 1931 Chief Engineer R. -J. Roberts April 1931 Assistant Engineer J. C. Row December 1926 do. do. S.J.Crutchley June 1939 Deckhand- A F. Rough October 1914 do. ø . C . R. S imons August 1938 do. W. G. King September 1939 Deckboy ≠ L.Firmin August 1942 do. ≠ R.E.Hills November 1944 do. "Alfred Robertson" (vacant) Master W.-3. S timson March 1944 Engineer Deckhand ø A. Cook. (vacant) July 1938 "Frederick Whittingham" Driver ø W.J. Reader November 1934 Deckboy ≠ J.G. Edards November 1943 Steward Of Launches J.F,Smee.d July 1927 GRAVSCETTO - Hulk "nrgeiu'' Shipkee-oer H. A. Clarksor. May 1912 do. E.W.S.Edmonds September 1933 GREENWICH' MOORINGS - Barge "Ella Vicars" Watchman E. Ditch January 1915 do. ≠ W.H.Gilham May 1944 † These Inspectors possess the Special Certificate of the Royal Sanitary Institute for Inspectors of Food. ≠ Temporary Staff /. ø.H.M,S. 4. 5, Church Passage, Guildhall, E.G. To January, 1945 THE WORSHIPFUL, THE PORT OP LONDON HEALTH COMMITTEE, Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit my Annual Report as Medical Officer of Health of the Port of London. Circular No. 52/^5 from the Ministry of Health, dated 20th March, 1945, states "I am directed by the Minister of Health to refer to "Circular 1937 of the 11th January, 19^0, and to request "that the Authority will instruct their Medical Officer "of Health to prepare his report for 19UU, on the lines "indicated in that Circular". At' the invitation of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration your Medical Officer was seconded for a period of six months for service with that Administration, and left the service of the Port Health Authority on the 1st September. Dr. C. P. White, the Medical Officer of Health of the City kindly undertook generally to supervise the work of the Port, and Dr. J. R. Davies, your Acting Senior Medical Officer, was transferred from Gravesend to the Head Office. His place was taken by Dr Vidot, as Temporary Boarding Medical Officer, One hundred and ninety-eight cases of communicable diseasei (including malaria) were reported as having occurred on vessels during the voyage of which 6k were landed in the Port, Fortv-six cases of which particulars are given in Appendix II (b), were admitted to Infectious Diseases Hospitals, The arrangements that were made for the reception of communicable diseases in Hospitals in the vicinity of the River, at the time of the closure of the Port Isolation Hospital at Derra in 19U0, continued to work satisfactorily. The Disinfecting Station at Denton continued to be used for the disinfection of cases arriving at Gravesend, their clotbi; bedding and effects. No case of human plague occurred during the year on any vessel bound for London. Of the 1,129 rats examined bacteriologically, 6C0 were fro' ships and 1+69 were from shore premises. No rats were reported to be infected with Plague. One hundred and forty-seven vessels were fumigated for rodent destruction and .the issue of an International Certificate, under the supervision of vour Inspectors, 3 by sulphur dioxide, resulting in the destruction cf 76 rats and 25 mice, and 1L3 by hydrogen cyanide, accounting for U,228 rats and 369 mice. One vessel was fumigated with a combined fumigant of sulphur dioxide and- hydrogen cyanide which accounted for 51 rats and 11 mice. A total of 8,915 rats were destroyed during the course of the year, 5,887 in ships and 3,028 on shore premises in the Pert. Ir addition, 2,451 mice were destroyed, 61+0 in ships and 1,811 on shore premises. 5• The scheme of Rodent Control carried out by this Authority in the Docks and premises of the Port of London Authority, on behalf of that Authority, and in the premises of the tenants of the Authority- on behalf of the occupiers,.continued throughout the year. Details of the working'of this.scheme will be the subject of a special Report The Parrots .(Prohibition of Irpart) Regulations, 1930, continued in operation and the' work thereunder is reported on page 7 The supply of.drinking Water to shipping by water Barges has considerably diminished during the.war. The registration of the craft still in use was made conditional upon the Report of your Officers as to their .fitness for the c.ar.riage of 'drinking water. The inspection of foodstuffs, applying the' policy of the previous war years, namely, the salvage, of damaged foodstuffs and their reconditioning.where possible to.render them fit, either for human or for animal consumption, or for industrial purposes, has continued throughout the year and details of the uses to which the foodstuffs have been .put are given on page 8. In this connection your Medical Officer wishes to take this opportunity of thanking the Officers of the Ministry of Pood, the Port of London Authority and private firms for their valuable co-operation in maintaining a highly efficient service of food salvage, resulting, in the saving to the Nation of large quantities of valuable, foodstuffs. The total amount of foodstuffs that had to be seized and condemned for human consumption and either reconditioned or disposed of for animal consumption or for industrial purposes under guarantee or destroyed was 1,238 Tons' as compared with 1, 820 Tons during the previous year. Your Medical Officer also wishes to thank the Officers of His Majesty's Customs, Port of London Authority, the-Pilots and the Members of the Staffs of the Shipping Companies and Merchants for their collaboration and' assistance in every aspect of the work of the Port of London Health.Authority throughout the.year. The personnel of your own-Staff, although greatly depleted to meet the needs of the fighting Services',' have carried out their duties both willingly arid efficiently. I have the-honour to'be, Gentlemen,'' Your obedient servant, M.T.MORGAN. Medical Officer of Health, Port of London. 6. GASES OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES FROM VESSELS. DISEASE NUMBER OF CASES DURING THE YEAR Smallpox - Scarlet Fever 4 Diphtheria 4 Enteric Fever - Measles 1 German Measles - Scabies 18 Pulmonary Tuberculosis 6 tuberculosis (Other Kinds) - Pneumonia 2 Influenza - Dysentery - Malaria- 22 Chickenpox 1 Mumps 3 Poliomyelitis 1 Tonsillit is 1 Acute Rheumatism 1 64 Ci.SES OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES OCCURING ON VESSELS DURING THE .VOYAGE BUT -DISPOSED OF PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. DISEASE NUMBER OF. CASES DURING THE YEAR Smallpox 1 Scarlet Fever - Diphtheria 1 Enteric Fever - Measles - German Measles - Scabies 1 Pulmonary Tuberculosis - Tuberculosis (Other Kinds) - Pneumonia - Influenza - Dysentery - Malaria 126 Chickenpox - Mumps 1 Gastro Enteritis 2 Cellulitis 1 Rheumatic Fever 1 134 RATS DESTROYED DURING 1944 (l) on VESSELS. (a) (b) (c) No. of Rats destroyed. No. of Rats examined. No. of Rats found to be infected with Plague. 5,887. 660. Nil. (2) IN DOCKS. QUAYS, WHARVES AND WAREHOUSES. (a) (b) (c) No. of Rats destroyed. No. of Rats examined. No of Rates found to be infected with plague. 3,028. 469 Nil. 7. hygiene of crews spaces. Classification of Nuisances Defects of original construction 17 BRITISh :Structural defects through wear and tear 23 Dirt, vermin and other conditions prejudicial to health 11 Defects of original construction 1 Structural defects through wear and tear Nil Dirt, vermin and other conditions prejudicial to health 1 In 1942 your Medical Officer drew the attention of your Worshipful Committee to the duties imposed on Port Health Authorities in the matter of crew and passenger.accommodation in ships, pointing out the time and energy expended by your Inspectors in carrying out the work of maintaining the best sanitary conditions possible within the limits prescribed by statute. He also reviewed the many difficulties that.have arisen as the result of the special circumstances imposed on shipping by wartime conditions, and expre-ssed the opinion that, having regard to these' conditions, the. standard of crew accommodation was as good as can be expected, and if difficulties were found the owner in the great majority of cases did his best to remedy them as far as he could, at the earliest possible moment. The matter was considered by your Worshipful Committee this year when the following Resolution was adopted:- "That it be recommended to the Grand Committee that the "Town Clerk be requested to address a letter to the "Ministry of War Transport stating that in the opinion "of the Corporation of London, as Port of London Health "Authority, improvement could be made in the construction "of new ships in the general arrangements for the welfare "of the crew, if the blue prints were submitted to expert "medical opinion in the Ministry before the plans were " approved". The matter will be again reviewed during the coming year in the light of the reply received from the Ministry of War Transport. PARROTS (PROHIBITION OP IMPORT) REGULATIONS, I93Q. Fourteen parrots, etc., came under the notice of your Officers during the year. Eleven Notices were issued in respect of 14 parrots, etc. , Number exported in respect of Notices served 8 Number destroyed (Notice served to export) 6 Number admitted under' Ministry of Health permits - Bodies of birds sent for investigation to the Ministry of Health - Number transhipped on through Bills - 14 DANGEROUS DRUGS. During the year 20 certificates authorising the purchase of scheduled Dangerous Drugs were issued by your Medical Officer under the Dangerous Drugs (No.3) Regulations, 1923, amending the Dangerous Drugs Regulations, 1921. PUBLIC HEALTH ACT. 193.6. PART_ X..- CaNAL BQaTS . No Canal Boats were inspected during the y^ar due to the fact that this type of craft has practically disappeared from the district. 8. FOOD INSPECTION. The inspection of foodstuffs under the Public Health (Imported Pood) regulations, 1937? and the Public Health (Preservatives, 'etc., in Pood) Regulations, 1925 - 1927s resulted in the seizure and destruction of 1,238 tons of foodstuffs, a decrease.of'some 600 tons as compared with 1943. The following is a summary showing the method of disposal of the foodstuffs seized:- METHOD OF DISPOSAL WEIGHT APPROXIMATE. PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL. Tons . cwts. qrs. lbs. Reconditioning 12. 5. 3. 3. 0. 96. Cattle Food 318. 15. 2. 11. 25.76. Refining 274. 13. 3. 2. 22. 20 Boiling Down 167. 19. 3. 9. 13. 56 Salvage of Tin - 8. 0. 20. 0.02. Buried 131. 18. 0. 14. 10 . 66. Burnt 332. 2. 3.. 15. 26.80 TOTAL 1,238. 4. 0. 18. 99.98. It will be noted from the above table: that 37% of the foodstuffs seized were totally destroyed, while the remainder'was put to some useful purpose, following the policy that has been "adopted during the war 3rears of conserving food supplies either by careful sorting and reconditioning which has rendered' them, without •appreciable deterioration of quality, perfectly fit for human 'consumption, or by permitting their use, under suitable guarantee for 'some useful purpose such as animal or poultry feeding. APPENDIX 1. BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF Ri.TS DURING 19UU- , r~ BLACK RATS .! BROWN RATS j SPECIES !JNKN0.7N: MICE | Rats i Total Pound i Trapped Pound {.Trapped; Found Trapped : Found; Trapped. Infect ^Examined Dead'Poisoned DeadiPrisoned Dead. Pdsoned i Dead; Pdsonedj witti etc. : 'etc. ' I ' etc. ' ' „ , ' etc.: Plagu 1,129 439 608 5 77- - - - Nil 9. APPENDIX ll INFECTIOUS DlCEASES DlSEASE 1935 19365 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1442 1943 Moan Annual to. for 10 YlAM ENDING 31 st DECEMBER 1944 1944 (a) Cases reported: Cholera (including suspected cases) - - - 1 - - - - - 0.1 - YELLOW FEVER „ - - - - - - - - - - - PLAGUE „ - - - - - - - - - - -• SMALLPOX 4 9 - 4 5 1 1 1 - 2.6 1 scarleT FEVER 9 10 6 16 13 9 1 2 5 6.9 4 diptherIA 5 16 3 9 15 4 11 5 9 7.4 5 entEric FEVER 16 39 23 35 16 7 1 1 - 13.4 - measles 41 16 57 49 10 9 1 1 1 21.6 1 geraman calabua 8 4 6 25 34 17 5 2 1 10.2 - erysipELAS 2 2 2 6 2 1 2 - - 1.5 - TUBERCULOSIS 1 - 1 - - - - - - 0.2 - TUBERCULOSIS PULMONARY 33 ]20 54 75 83 19 4 5 12 55.1 6 OTHER KINDS 1 - 2 3 1 - - - - 0.7 - OTHER KINDS (INCLUDING CHICKENPOX) 647 543 508 540 308 178 88 179 273 352.4 180 TOTAL 867 749 707 762 535 359 114 196 295 472.1 197 (b) COMITTED TO HOSPITALS CHOLERD (INCLUDING SUSPECTED CASES) - - - - - - - " - - - YELLOW FEVER „ - - - - - - - - - - - PLAUGE „ - - - - - - - - - - - SMALLPOX „ - - - 2 - - - - 0.2 - TYPUS FEVER 2x - - - • - - - - 0.2 - SCARLET FEVER 2 1 2 14 - - - 2 5 3'0 - DIPTHERIA 1 16x 1 5 4 - 9 5 2 4.7 - ENTARIC FEVER 6 9 7 12 8 1 - 1 - 4.4 - MASLES 10 5 37 23 7 3 - 1 - 9.2 1 ERYSIPELAS - - 1 1 - - 2 - • 0.4 - PAROTITIS 5x 1 2 6 3 - - - 2 2.6 3 EYBENERY - - - - - 2 - - - 0.2 - OTHER DIESASE (INCLUDING CHICKENPOX) 26 34 65 133x 79 52 26 15 u It3.2 34 TOTALS 52 115 119 107 58 57 34 25 73.1 46 INCLUDEDES ONE CONTACT INCLUDES THREE CONTACTS INCLUDES THE CONTACTS