PLON 58 Public Health Dept. reports collection copy AC 369 106 PORT OF LONDON HEALTH AUTHORI OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH TO 31st DECEMBER,1950 106. PORT OF LONDON HEALTH COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH (MONTAGU TRACERS MORGAN, C.M.G., M.C., M.D., Ch.B., D.P.H.) TO 31st DECEMBER , 1950. Port of London Health Authority, 5, Church Passage, Guildhall, E.C.,2. Telegraphic Address "P0RTELTH LONDON" Telephone Number MONarch 3030. LIMITS OF THE PORT OF LONDON. THE LIMITS OF THE PORT OF LONDON AS AT PRESENT DEFINED COMMENCE AT HIGHWATER MARK IN THE RIVER THAMES AT TEDDINGTON LOCK, IN THE COUNTY OF SURREY, AND EXTEND DOM BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER THAMES TO AN IMAGINARY STRAIGHT LINE DRAM FROM THE PILOT MARK AT THE ENTRANCE OF IIAVENGORE CREEK, IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, TO THE LAND'S END AT WARDEN POINT, IN THE ISLE OF SHEPPEY, IN THE COUNTY OF KENT, SUCH POINT BEING THE NORTH-WESTERN LIMIT OF THE PORT OF FAVERSIIAM, AND EXTEND UP AND INCLUDE BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER MEDWAY TO AN IMAGINARY STRAIGHT LINE DRAM FROM THE SOUTH-EAST POINT OF LAND WESTWARD OF COALMOUTH CREEK, THENCE ACROSS THE SAID RIVER MEDWAY TO THE TIE STERN -MO ST POINT OF THE PIECE OF LAND WHICH FORMS THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE STANGATS 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 IIAVENGORE CREEK AFORESAID, CALLED POTTON AND RUSHLEY ISLANDS, AND SO MUCH OF THE SAID CREEK AND WATERCOURSE AS EXTENDS FROM IT TO THE TOM OF ROCHFORD, AND ALSO INCLUDES ALL OTHER ISLANDS, RIVERS, STREAMS, CREEKS, WATERS, WATERCOURSES, CHANNELS, HARBOURS, DOCKS AND PLACES WITHIN THE BEFOREMENTIONED LIMITS CONTAINED. STAFF. List of Officers forming the Staff of the Port Health Authority, 31st December, 1950. Office Name of Officer Date of entering the service. Medical Officer of Health M.T. Morgan, C.M.G. M.C., M.D., Ch.B., D.P.H. September 1938. Deputy Medical Officer of Health and Medical Officer in Charge at Denton Hospital H.M. Willoughby, V.R.D., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. D.P.H., D .T ,M. & II . R aN aV.R. May 1929. Assistant Port Health Officer. J.A. Jones, M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H. April 1935. Office. Name of Officer. Date of entering the service. Assistant Port Health Officer. J.R. Davies, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. D.T.M. & H. January 1939. ditto. (Vacant) Sheerness Boarding Station (Tempys Part Time). H.A. Madmr, L.R.C.P., L.R.F.P.S. December 1927. CLERICAL - Principal Clerk W.C. Barham March 1901. Assistant Senior Clerk J.A.Gillis March 1914. First Class Assistant Clerk W.L. McLorg February 1927. Secretary to Medical Officer of Health R.C. Ratliff March 1930. Clerical Officer E.V. Smith October 1938. General Grade Clerk R.H. Lott May 1947. ditto. A.E. Wood January 1950. INSPECTORIAL - Sanitary Inspector and W. Gray September 1921. Inspector of Meat and P.W. Coombe December 1924. Other Foods E.H. Johnson August 1929. ditto. T.G. Edwards June 1929. ditto. D.E. Madeley September 1932. ditto. C.E. Wright July 1931. ditto. J.S. Beattie May 1931. ditto. L.A.R. Hundy January 1934. ditto. T .L.Mackie ,M.B.E. ,A.M.I .N.A. November 1934. ditto. G. Dring February 1937. ditto. J. Aiken July 1946. ditto. A. Trevethick August 1946. ditto. L.N. Tope August 1946. ditto. P.A. Traynier October 1960. RODENT INSPECTORS - C.W. Moody February 1929. E.C. Watkins June 1929. S.A. Croft June 1929. C. Stockton June 1940. F.D. Cartman January 1943. D.J. Davis August 1941. RODENT CONTROL SCHEME - Rodent operatives G. Lamont March 1945. H.A. Baxter June 1945. J.E. Carrington January 1946. W.G. Stimson February 1946. G. Clark January 1949. A.L. Southwood January 1949. H . J. Mason August 1946. LAUNCHES AND HULKS - Navigator (Senior) P.J. Wilkins November 1928. ditto. J.R. Steen March 1926. ditto. W.S. Stimson March 1944. ditto. W.G.A. King September 1939. ditto. C.R. Simons (Vacant) August 1938. ditto. ditto. W. Simmons July 1945. Engineer (Senior) S.J. Crutchley June 1939. ditto. A. Cook July 1938. ditto. E.G. Smith January 1948. ditto. J.F. Trice, M.B.E. September 1947. (2) Office Name of Officer Date of entering the service. Deckhand A.R.L. Fotter July 1945. ditto. L . J. Nicholls September 1945. ditto. E. Alewood (Vacant) (Vacant) January 1947. ditto. ditto . ditto. (Acting) R.A. Mantripp March 1945. ditto. (Acting) L.A.J. Cambridge March 1950. De ckboy A.R. Watkins August 1948. ditto. P .E. Pay August 1949. ditto. F.J. Strickland September 1949. ditto. D.R. Henderson April 1950. ditto. J. Gilbert (Vacant) September 1950. ditto. Ste-ward (Part time) J.F. Smeed July 1927. Shipkeeper A.R. Burge August 1945. ditto. A.C. Croft October 1950. Watchman E.W.S. Edmonds September 1933. ditto a S.H. Cornish November 1950. LAUNCHES Date acquired "Howard Deighton" 1931 "Alfred Robertson" 1938 "Frederick Whittingham" 1934 "Alfred Roach" 1948 HULKS "Hygeia" at Gravesend 1935 "Uplees" at Greenwich 1945 January 1951. To THE WORSHIPFUL, THE PORT OF LONDON HEALTH COMMITTEE• Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit my Annual Report as Medical Officer of Health of the Port of London. The report is prepared on the lines indicated in Memorandum 302/S.A., in so far as the information asked for is available. Tonnage. The tonnage of vessels entering the Port of London during 1950, was 26,724,215 tons as compared with 24,463,725 tons during 1949. Ten thousand five hundred and ninety nine vessels arrived from foreign ports and of these 1,599 were visited by your Medical Officers (Table A). Communicable Disease. Two hundred and fifty one cases of notifiable communicable diseases (including malaria) were reported as having occurred on 155 vessels during the voyage, of -which 104 were landed in the Port. (Tables C & D). Sixty-eight cases, particulars of -which are given in appendix II(b) were admitted to the Denton Isolation Hospital. (3) No case of human or rat plague occurred during the year on any vessel bound for London. Fumigations.One hundred and three vessels were either fumigated, trapped or poison baited for rodent destruction and the issue of International Certificates under the supervision of your Inspectors. One hundred vessels were fumigated using hydrogen cyanide and resulted in the recovery of 1,240 rats and 292 mice. Poisoning on vessels accounted for 20 rats and 104 mice. (Table "H"). Rodent. A Total of 9,574 rats were destroyed and their bodies recovered during the course of the year, l794 in ships and 7780 on shore premises in the Port. In addition 3,750 mice were destroyed, 395 in ships and 3,355 on shore premises. (Tables "E" & "F") . Of the 137 rats examined bacteriologically, 40 were from vessels and 97 from shore premises. No rat was reported to be infected with plague. (Tables "E" & "H") Psittacidae. The work under the Parrots (Prohibition of Import) Regulations,1930, still in operation, is reported on page 27. Water Barges. Thirteen water barges were in use during the year. The registration of these craft by the Port of London Authority is made conditional upon the report of your officers as to the fitness of the barges for the carriage of drinking water as also upon the purity of the water thus carried. House Boats. The new House Boat Byelaws are still in draft form. Imported Foods. The total amount of foodstuffs seized and condemned for human consumption and either reconditioned or disposed of for animal consumption or for industrial purposes under guarantee or destroyed outright either by burying or burning was 2,561 tons as compared with 1,711 tons during 1949 and 937 tons during 1948 (See page 22 ), a somewhat alarming increase. Shellfish. Action taken under the Public Health (Shellfish) Regulations, 1934 is reported on page 28. Instruction of D.P.H. and D.I.H. classes in Port Health Work. Postgraduate Students of the Royal Institute of Public Health and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine taking their course for the Diploma in Public Health and in Industrial Hygiene again paid visits to one or other of the Dock Groups and were given practical demonstrations of the day to day work of the Port Health Services on the River and in the Docks. Your Medical Officer wishes to take this opportunity of thanking the Officers of His Majesty's Customs, of the Port of London Authority, the Pilots and members of the staffs of the Shipping Companies and Merchants for their collaboration and assistance in every aspect of the work of the Port Health Authority throughout the year. Your Medical Officer also has pleasure in reporting that all members of your staff have carried out their duties both willingly and efficiently. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant. M.T. MORGAN. (4) 1. Amount or Shipping Entering the Port During the Year 1950 TABLE A Number Tors nag £ Number Inspected NUMBER Reporteo To be Defective NUMBER OF Vessels On WHICH DEFECTS were Remedied Number of VESSELS on which defects were found and Reported to ministry of transport surverors NUMBES OF Vessels Reported as having or having had Durring the Voyage Infectious Disease on Board. By The Medical Officer of health By the Sanitary Inspector Foreign Steamers 4,862. 11, 483, 992 1, 127 17,205. 672. 643. 24-. 155 MOTOR 5,737- 6,008,010 472. Sailing - - - 29- 1. 1. - - Fishing - — - - ~ — — Total. Foreign 10,599. 17,492,002. 1,599 7,234. 673. 644. 24. 155. COASTWISE STEAMERS 7,373. 7, 302,127. - l,910 223 202 28 - Motor 4,+31. (,916, 154. - - Bailing 219 13, 932. - 101. 4 4 - - P ISHING - - - - - - - - Total Coastwise 12,023. 9,232,213. - 2,O11. 227 206 28 - total Foreign and Coastwise 22,622 26,72 4, 215 1,599. 9,245 900 850 52. 155. IE.. Character and Trade of the Port. (a) Passcnger traffic during the year — (1) To and From Non- European countries- 1 St Class. 2 nd Class 3 rd Class tourist Class . Total. in ward. 24, 183. 375. 399. 35,269. 6o,228. Out word 29, 570. 7,98 792. 48, 136. 85, 696. includes cABIN cLASS. (ii) to and From the Continent of* EIuROPE. In WARD 43-2, 55 7 Outward 38, 076. Countries from Which Passengers principally arrive: India, Australia, New Zealand, South America, the Far East and the United State's of America. (b)' Cargo Traffic (Imports and Exports) Particulars for the year 1950 are not Available . (c) Foreign ports from which vessels arrive:The Port of London trades with all parts of the world. Medical Inspection of Aliens. Annual Return br the Medical Inspector of Aliens for the year ended 31st December,1950. Total number inspected by the medical inspector . number Subjected to Detailed examination by the. medical Inspector Certifi1cates Issued Trans Migrants. lunatic, Idiot or m.d. Undesir - able for medical reasons. Physically Incapac- Itated Sufferring from acute Infectious Disorder Landung Necessary for Adeqate medical Examination (a) Total Number of aliens Landing at the Port 3o,448. 19,791 913. Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie (b) Aliens refused Permission to Land by the Immigration Officer. 104 Nil. Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie (c) transmigrants. Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Nie Total Aliens Apriving at the port 30,552. 19,79 913. Nie Nil. Nil. Nie Nie Nil "total nom&er of vessels arriying carrying alien passengers — I,t5£>£.. (5) III. -WATER SUPPLY. 1. Source of Water Supply - (a) For the Porto - All the docks in the L.ndon area obtain their water supplies from the Metropolitan Water Board. Tilbury Dock is supplied by the South Essex Water Company. The majority of the.wharves are supplied by Public Water Authorities within whose area of distribution they are situated, while several have their own deep wells. A few have no water supplies available for shippings in which case any water required can be obtained from water barges. (b) For Shipping.- Ships not able to obtain water from the shore supplies as indicated above 5 or ships lying at buoys in the river. can obtain supplies from water barges. 2. Hydrants and Hosepipes- Hydrants within the dock area are of the standard type in use by the Metropolitan Water Board. They are situated at intervals along the quayside and consist of an upright stackpipe with nozzle coupling to which are attached the hoses. The hoses $ usually of rubber covered with a metal coil, when not in use are coiled up and hung in specially constructed boxes at convenient points within the docks. When in use particular care is taken that the hoses do not sag into the dock water and in transference from the ship to the shore, that at no time do they come into contact with the dock water. If this should happen the hoses are thoroughly cleansed and flushed with fresh water before being again used. 3. Number of water boats and their sanitary conditions - Water boats are registered annually by the Port of London Authority and such registration is made conditional upon the report of the Port Health Officers as to the fitness of the craft for the carriage of drinking water as also upon the purity of the water thus carried. To this end sampling is carried out from time to time. There were thirteen water boats working in the Port during the year. IV, PORT HEALTH REGULATIONS 1933 and 1945. (1) Arrangements for dealing with Declarations of Health. (2) Boarding of vessels on arrival. (3) Notifications to the Authority of inward vessels requiring medical attention. (4) Mooring Stations designated under Article 10. (5) Particulars of any Standing Exemptions from the provisions of Article 14. (6) Experience of working Article 16. (?) What, if any, arrangements have been made for:- (a) Premises and waiting rooms for medical examinations. (b) Cleansing and disinfection of ship, persons and clothing and other articles. (c) Premises for the temporary accommodation of persons for whom such accommodation is required for the purposes of the Regulations. All the above remain the same as reported in detail in my Report for 1947. (d) Hospital accommodation available for Plague, Cholera, Yellow Fever, Smallpox and other infectious diseases. (6) In the event of a major infectious disease arriving in the Port, the patient or patients would be removed from the vessel to Denton Hospital pending arrangements for the transference of such cases to the appropriate hospital under the management of the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. DENTON HOSPITAL. Denton Hospital having been transferred. for administrative purposes, to the Seamen's Group of Hospitals attached to the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board relieves the Port Health Authority of all financial and adminstrative obligations in regard to the hospital but it continues, by arrangement with the Board. to provide the medical supervision and treatment. Thus the Boarding Medical Officer on duty can admit without discussion or delay, any case or suspected case of infectious disease. secure the necessary isolation and provide immediate treatments While your Medical Officer is in administrative charge of the medical services at the hospital, your Deputy Medical Officer is in local chargee (e) Ambulance Transport- The Authority maintain four launches. three of which are suitably fitted for ambulance works The "Howard Deighton" is used by the Medical Officers as a boarding launch and is fitted with an ambulance room on deck with accommodation for four stretcher cases or eight walking cases. The "Alfred Roach" normally used as a Sanitary Inspectors' duty launch was designed so as to relieve the "Howard Deighton" should occasion ariseo The vessel is constructed so that the saloon can be rapidly converted into a sick'bay capable of carrying three stretcher cases and has a cockpit with a sufficiently large open space to receive a stretcher and deep enough to protect the occupants from inclement weather. It is capable of accommodating eight sitting cases, The "Alfred Robertson" which is normally used by the Sanitary Inspector in the Middle River District has a fairly spacious after cabin in which a stretcher case can be carried. The "Frederick Whittingham" is a much smaller launch and is employed by the Sanitary Inspector in the upper River District. (f) Supervision of contacts- In the event of a vessel arriving on which there is or has been a case or cases of a major infectious disease, all persons on board are considered to be possible contacts. Such persons are individually interrogated as to the address to which they are proceeding immediately on disembarkation and given a specially prepared double post-card, on one half of which they give full details of their names and addresses. These particulars together with an appropriate note of the circumstances, are then forwarded to the Medical Officers of Health of the district in which the contacts' address is situated. The other half of the card they are asked to keep and use only should they change their address during a specified period. usually the incubation period of the diseases This half of the card is on the "Business Reply Card" system so that the person concerned does not have to stamp it. Cg) Arrangements for the Bacteriological or Pathological examination of Rats. (h) Arrangements made for other Bacteriological and Pathological examinations. During the year arrangements were concluded with the Central Public Health Laboratory at Colindale for the bacteriological examination of rats and also for other bacteriological and pathological examinations. Arrangements for the diagnosis and treatment of Venereal Diseases among sailors. Arrangements made under the Brussels Agreement, 1924. Arrangements for the interment of the dead. The above remain as reported in my Annual Report for 1947. (7) TABLE G. CASES OF INFECTIOUS SICKNESS LANDED FROM VESSELS. Disease . Number of Cases during the Year Number of vessels concerned. Average number of cases for previous 5 years. Passengers Crew German Measles 2 1 2 1.0 Chickenpox 5 16 9 14.4 Pulmonary Tuberculosis 9 26 30 23 .0 Scarlet Fever - 3 3 3.8 Pneumonia 1 1 2 4.0 Malaria - 14 10 12.8 Enteric Fever 2 1 3 16.6 Measles 10 2 6 22.0 Dysentery - 6 5 4.2 Poliomyelitis 2 - 2 0.4 Parotitis 1 1 2 9.2 Erysipelas - 1 1 - TABLE D. CASES OF INFECTIOUS SICKNESS OCCURRING ON VESSELS DURING THE VOYAGE BUT DISPOSED OF PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. Disease. Number of Cases during the Year Number of vessels concerned. Average number of cases for previous 5 years. Passengers Crew Scarlet Fever 1 3 4 0.8 Enteric Fever 1 5 5 5.4 Smallpox – 4 3 2.0 Chickenpox 21 8 20 16.4 German Measles 12 2 9 2.8 Parotitis 9 2 8 3.2 Measles 46 - 11 22.8 Pneumonia 2 2 4 2.4 Dysentery 2 2 3 5.8 Malaria – 19 7 28.2 Pulmonary Tuberculosis. 3 3 6 4.4 (8) REPORT ON A CASE OF SMALLPOX (SHIP BORNE). 1. On the morning of June 19th a scullion, Alex d'Souza, 25705, Goanese, reported at the Asiatic sickbay with a rash. 2. The Goanese lived in a compartment in the forepeak, P.72, occupied by ten members of the crew, to wit, 7 scullions and 2 Assistant Cooks, and he worked in the main passenger galley, providing food for the saloon and tourist accommodation. His duties were washing up in any part of the galley. He had been on board since October 1949 and there is a record that he was vaccinated in October 1949 but no record of a more recent vaccination. 3. The ship's movements during the home-ward voyage ware as follows Sydney 26th May Melbourne 30th May Adelaide Fremantle 5th June Colombo 12th June Bombay 15th June Aden 19th June Port Said 23rd June and the numbers of passengers and crew were;- Crew White 246 Coloured 270 Passengers 1st Saloon 586 Tourist 467 D.B.S. 3 Stowaway 1,573 4. According to the Ship's Surgeon, the man saw spots on his belly on the 18th and felt unwell for about 12 hours before reporting sick at sick muster on' the morning of the 19th. On examination by the Assistant Surgeon, he was found to have a scanty vesicular rash almost entirely confined to the body and face, chest and abdomen. The rash was more apparent on the front of the chest, the abdomen, the back, and face, with two spots on the scalp and one on the hard palate. There were no spots on the legs nor any on the hands and feet. The spots took the form of vesicles and papules, but the rash was too early to see any evidence of cropping or pustular formation. Temperature 102°. 5. On arrival at Aden on the 19th, the day the man reported at the sick bay, the ship was visited by an Asian Assistant Port Medical Officer who after a cursory examination of the patient declared him to be suffering from chickenpox. This conformed with the view of the Ship's Surgeon. The assistant Port Medical Officer refused to take the man ashore on the grounds that chickenpox was not a quarantinable disease in Aden, despite the representations of the Ship's Surgeon that he had an overfull complement of passengers on board, including a large number of children, and that he did not wish to retain, even in isolation, a case of chickenpox which might, even with the best endeavours to maintain isolation, spread to the passengers and particularly to the children on board. The Surgeon therefore, refused to accept the Assistant Port Medical Officer's decision and went ashore to see Dr. David, the Senior Port Medical Officer, Aden. Dr. David agreed to take the man ashore and did so, using his own staff and launch, the man walking overside to the launch. None of the ship's staff participated in helping the man overside. 6. The man had been isolated on board since he had been found and, after evacuation, his quarters and the isolation quarters were scrubbed out and sprayed with formalin for two consecutive days. The quarters that he had occupied in isolation were closed and the bedding and mattress were dumped overside. All contacts in the cabin occupied by the man were carefully examined and their examination continued daily for the rest of the voyage. 7» On June 25th at 4 a.m., the ship being at sea in the Mediterranean, a message was received via Malta radio from Port Health, Aden, as follows (9) "Case landed 19th confirmed modified smallpox". or words to that effect. 80 On receipt of this signal a wireless message was sent to Malta for more lymph because the lymph stock put on board in London had been made use of on the outward voyage and it was feared that there would be insufficient lymph to vaccinate all the passengers and crew. Incidentally. much of the lymph supplied was in five-dose tubes and if an individual vaccination was made from a fivedose tube of lymph, the remainder of the tube had to be rejected. 9 © The ship put in to Malta on the 25th and 700 doses of lymph were obtained. The lymph bore the label of the Pasteur Institute. 10. The surgeon began vaccination of the crew with the remaining lymph stock on board at 10 a.m. This lymph was from the Jenner Institute , Batch No. 7710, which had been kept in the dispensary at 0°. The lymph was sufficient to vaccinate all the crew and this was completed on the morning of the 25th. 11. The vaccination of passengers started at 4.30 p.m. on the 25th as soon as the lymph had 'been obtained from Malta. All were vaccinated except those •producing very recent soarsj scabs and in possession of certificates'. Incidentally, the Ship's Surgeon had seen all passengers embarking at Bombay and in collaboration with the Fort Medical Officer, Bombay, had vaccinated all persons not in possession of an acceptable vaccination certificate. The numbers showing recent scars or scabs and certificates of recent vaccination carried out in Australia amounted to approximately 150 and these -were exempted from vaccination. 12. All persons who were vaccinated on board were inspected on the 27th and a certificate of vaccination completed according to the results found. There were no refusals of vaccination but two passengers were not vaccinated on account of intercurrent diseaseo One - a diabetic cripple - on the grounds that it would be unwise to vaccinate having regard to his condition and to the fact that he was under the care of a doctor and was going straight to the Post Graduate Medical School at Ducane Road by ambulance on arrival at Tilbury. The other passenger, a young Asian woman, showed scars of an attack of smallpox. 13. In view of the circumstances I decided to board the ship at Brixham where she would pick up the Pilot and to take with me two Clerical Officers of my staff in order to complete formalities and thus to avoid delay and congestion when the ship arrived at Tilbury. 14. I accordingly boarded the ship at eight o'clock on the evening of Friday, June 30th, accompanied by two clerks from the Head Office and twelve other persons, including the Pilots The Medical Superintendent of the P. & 0. Company; two Immigration Officers 1 P. & 0. staff and travel agency staff to deal with passengers' baggage. All these persons were either vaccinated before arrival at Tilbury or exempted from vaccination according to their recent vaccinial history# (Two had been vaccinated only a few days previously). 15. Throughout the day on Saturday, July 1st, I personally examined the results of the vaccinations of all passengers. Two boarding Medical Officers, visited the ship on Saturday afternoon when at anchorage some few miles below Gravesend, to assist in examining the crew. I found that a certain number of passengers showed reactions to the vaccination carried out on board which were not entirely satisfactory and these persons, amounting to a hundred or so, were revaccinated forthwith with lymph that had been taken on board at Brixham. 16. A further examination of the Asiatic crew and the European members of the galley staff was made on Sunday, July 2nd, There was no evidence of any indisposition or rash. 17. A card was madp out for every person on board and no one was allowed to disembark on arrival at the Landing Stage at Tilbury on Sunday unless they had givem a definite address to which they were proceeding and sleeping on the day of disembarkation. There appeared to be no reason for withholding "free pratique' and consequently 'free pratique, was given before the ship tied up at the Tilbury Landing Stage . 18. I andmembers of my Clerical Staff left the ship at 11.3Q a.m. on Sunday, July (10) 2nd, and lay Sunday evening letters to 88 Medical Officers of Health were dispatched in time for the last collection from the G.P.O. London; the remainder of the notifications addressed to 276 Medical Officers of Health were dispatched by midday on Monday, July 3rd. 19. The Asiatic members of the crew were not allowed to leave the precincts of the ship till July 5the They were mustered and examined each day. None was found with any fever or signs of rash. 20. Fifty changes of address were reported on July 4th. The Medical Officers of Health concerned were promptly notified. 21. July 5th being the 16th day since the case was disembarked, no further action was taken in regard to passengers' or crew movements. CONCLUSIONS. 1. My impression is, after close consultation with the Ship's Surgeon, who is an ex-Officer of the I.M.S. and who has seen a great deal of smallpox in his time, that this was in all probability a case of chickenpox. I am satisfied that the Ship's Surgeon took immediate precautionary measures and that there was little chance of contact between the case and the passengers before his immediate isolation after the rash had been seen on the morning of the 19th. I consider the Surgeon was right in making strong representations to the Aden Port Health Authority, despite the objections of the Port Medical Officer at Aden, to disembark this case of chickenpox in order to prevent its spread, at least among the numerous children that were being carried on board. In this connection it must be borne in mind that isolation in a very crowded ship can never be regarded, even with the most stringent precautions, as absolute. The health authorities at Aden did not notify the ship of their diagnosis of modified smallpox until six days after the departure of the ship from Aden. Consequently, the vaccinations immediately started on the 25th and continued on receipt of further supplies of lymph from Malta, cannot be regarded as protecting the crew or passengers from an attack of smallpox. It would be interesting and it is, I consider, important to ascertain the reasons for the delay on the part of the Port Health Authority at Aden in notifying their decision that the case was one of modified smallpox. I suspect that the case immediately on landing was vaccinated and, failing a positive reaction or a reaction of immunity, the case was automatically reported as one of smallpox. On the other hand, some turn of events in the progress of the disease may have led the Aden authorities to report the case as one of modified smallpox. One cannot, of course, dispute the absolute right of the Aden Authorities to declare at any time a case which they are not satisfied to be a case of chickenpox to be one of smallpox or modified smallpox, but if such a decision is made, I feel that the reasons for making it should be declared if only to inspire confidence in decisions of this nature. There is one important point which no doubt was not overlooked by the Aden authorities. If it is accepted that the disease was in fact smallpox and that the rash began on the 18th, the infection took place not less than fourteen days previously, which brings one to the 4th June. The ship called at Adelaide on the 2nd June and at Fremantle on the 5th June. It seems highly improbable that the man contracted smallpox in either of these ports which, so far as is known, have been completely free from smallpox for a long time. 2. I examined the tubes of lymph supplied by Malta. Some came, I understand, from the Civil Administration and some from the Navy, but it must be confessed that the tubes were not satisfactorily filled. In many the calf lymph was interspersed with bubbles which made it difficult for the lymph to be used on more than one person. This is merely a slight reflection on methods of filling individual tubes. On the other hand, the practice of supplying lymph to ships exclusively in five-dose tubes is not very sound. A number of persons come to the Ship's Surgery for vaccination and insist on immediate vaccination, e.g. before landing at Bombay. If five-dose tubes only are supplied, this means the rejection of lymph supplied for four other vaccinations since once the tube is (11) opened, it should not be used again. It would be far better that a good proportion of the lymph supplied to ships should be in one-dose tubes to overcome this difficultyI propose to report this matter to the Committee revising the Ship Captain's Medical Guide and Medical Scales I for Passenger Ships carrying a Surgeon. 3. Finally, I -would raise a point of interest to the comfort of passengers. Throughout the Saturday preceding arrival at Tilbury, the passengers were required to queue up twice, first for examination for health and again for immigration requirements• The result is that they spent the whole of Saturday waiting in long queues whereas the two requirements could without any inconvenience either to the Port Medical Officer or to the Immigration authorities have been combined into one queueing. Inspections of this kind are not popular with passengers and if they can be ameliorated in any way, so much the better, Dr. M.T. Morgan Medical Officer of Health Port of London. S.S. "SUSSEX OAK" - SUSPECTED SMALLPOX On the 24th October the master of the "Sussex Oak" telephoned to say that two members of the native crew of the above-mentioned vessel had been sent to the Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich and he had since heard that they were suffering from small; Enquiry was made at the Seamen's Hospital and it was ascertained that the two men had been admitted to the out-patient department where they were seen by a doctor who, not being able to arrive at a diagnosis had called in the local Medical Officer of Health who diagnosed modified smallpox. Movements of Vessel» Arrived Departed Tees 30th September Tees 6th October Tyne 7th October Tyne 9th October Thames 11th October Thames 11th October Blyth 13th October Blyth 14th October Thames 15th October Thames 17th October Blyth 18th October Blyth .20th October Thames 22nd October (North Woolwich Buoys). History of Cases. Case 1. Camara (West African Fireman) October 21st. Felt ill round about noon while on watch. Temperature normal but went to bed. Seen by Master at 6 o'clock in the evening. Felt better and went on watch from 8-12 p.m. No eruption seen. Seen again at 8.0 a.m. Sunday, October 22nd when he had broken out in spots but felt better. Case 2. Gibson (West African Fireman) Felt ill on Sunday morning, October 22nd. Came out in spots on Monday, October 23rd. Did not feel very well. The Master himself took the two men to Greenwich Hospital on October 23rd at about 9.30 a.m. They travelled by tramcar. The doctor who saw the men said he could cure the condition and they were to come back the next morning (Tuesday, October 24th) and see a Specialist. They returned to the ship at Woolwich, again travelling by tramcar. On Tuesday, October 24th, the men again presented themselves at the Seamen's Hospital, using the tramcar as a means of conveyance. On this occasion they were accompanied by the 2nd Mate. The patients were kept at the hospital and the 2nd Mate returned to the ship. The cases were seen by a Consulting Smallpox Officer in the South East Metropolitan Region. He reported both men to have a profuse rash with some fever, with a heavy distribution of rash on the face, on the mouth and also on the body but the distribution on the body is rather more like chickenpox than smallpox. Nevertheless, his doubt was such as to decide that they must be treated administratively as cases of smallpox until they are proved otherwise by laboratory examination. Action taken. The vessel having travelled to and from London and North East Coast ports, and in view of the fact that the patients gave next of kin addresses in North and South Shields respectively, the circumstances were reported by telephone and letter to the Medical Officer of Health of the Tyne Port Health Authority. The smallpox Specialist lost no time in sending specimens of the pustules to the laboratory for diagnoses. A preliminary result was available 48 hours later and showed the cases not to be smallpox. This was confirmed two davs afterwards. (signed)M.T. MORGAN. (12) Rats Destroyed during 1950. Table E (l) On Vessels. Number of jan feb mch apl may jne jly aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total in Year . Slack Rats, 106 104 146 174 237 66 339 193 198 49 32 47 1,791 brown Rats. - - - - 2 - - 3. species not recorded - - - - - - - - - - - - – Rats ewmineo. rp, rs Iufecteo With Plague. 29 11 40. TABLE F (2) In Docks, Quays, Wharves and Warehouses. Number of Jan Fee t~1CH Aei_ May Jn e juy Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec To t ftu in YtrAR. BlacK' Rats. 309 642 955 469 374- 247 275 544 440 299 361 233 5,146. Brown RatS. 88 88 297 284 345 194 419 107 186 146 224 254 2,632 Species not Recorded . - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rats examined 56 41 - - - - - - - - - - 97 Rats infected vith Plague - - - - - - - - - - - - - table g Measures of rat destruction on plague "infected" or "Suspected" vessels or vessels from plague infected Ports arriving in the port during the year. Total No of Such vessels arriving number of Such vessels fumigated by so2 No of rats Killed. number of such vessels fumigated by hon. n? of rats killed of such vessels on which trapping, poisoning, etc. Employed no of Rats killed. number of such vessels on which measures of rat destruction were not Carried out- 1,885 - - 76. 947 (263 mice) 295 143 (70 mice) 1,590. Table H. DER ATI SATIOIN CERTIFICATES and DERATISATIOM EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES ISSUED DURING THE YEAR. Net Tonnage No of Ships Number of Deratisation Certificates Issued. Number of Deratistion Exemption Certificates Issues Total Certificates issued. After Fumigation with After trapping poisoning etc Total HCN. so2 "1080" Ships op to 3oo -tons 127 1 - - - 1 126 127 "Prom 301 to 1,000 tons 130 4- - 3 - 7 123 130 " " 1,001 to 10,000" 1 30 22 - - - 22 1 OS 130 " " 3,0001 to 10,000" 381 6l - - - 6l 320 381 " over 10,000 tons. 40 12 - - - 12 25 40 Totals 808 100 - 3 - 103 705 808. (13) V. HYGIENE OF CREWS' SPACES. TABLE J. Nationality of Vessel. Number inspected during the year* Defects of Original construction. Structional defects through wear and tear. Dirt, vermin and other conditions prejudicial to health. BRITISH 6,888 85 162 83 5 OTHER NATIONS 2,914 8 9 101 TOTAL. 9,802 93 171 936 VI. MEASURES AGAINST RODENTS. la Steps taken for the detection of Rodent Plague . 2. Measures taken to prevent the passage of rats between ship and shore. 3. Methods of Deratisation. 4. Measures taken for the detection of rat prevalence in ships and on shore. 5 s Rat-proofing . The action taken under the above headings "was fully described in my Report for 1947 and remains the same. RODENTISIDES Experimental work with Sodium Fluoroacetate ('1080'), begun in 1949, to which I made reference in my Report for that year, was continued and expanded throughout the present year with remarkably successful results. Preliminary experiments were also carried out with anti-coagulants which it was thought should have good results in the destruction of rodents provided they could be persuaded to take a bait impregnated with an anti-coagulant in sufficient quantity and regularly over a sufficient period to produce a lowering of the thrombin element in the blood sufficient to produce fatal haemorrhage. Dicoumarin, the anti-coagulant used in the prevention of thrombosis in humans, was tried, but later samples of an American preparation "Warfarin" or "Compound 42" ms also tried, as well as a British preparation now on the market, kno-wn as "Sorexa". It must be confessed that the first experiments were failures in that they did not produce bodies and it is only recently (in 1951) that better results have been obtained -with the British product. It is important to make a distinction bet-ween the action. and, consequently, the use, of '1080' and that of an anti-coagulant. '1080' is a short term rodenticide, i.e. to be laid overnight and the results to be expected the following day or at the most, if the baits can remain down with safety, after two days, whereas the use of an anti-coagulant is a long term method only producing results after a week or even a fortnight, but having the advantage that not being poisonous in single doses can be allowed to remain in situ for a period with miich greater safety than .1080'. Consequently, an anti-coagulant has distinct preventive values in that, even if there is no evidence of an infestation or if the infestation has been eliminated by *1080', re-infestation can be anticipated by putting down an anti-coagulant in the expectation that rodents will be destroyed before they have time to establish themselves and to nest and breed. Incidentally) Warfarin is now being widely used in the United States and has gained a high reputation as a rodenticide. •1080' can, of course, never be used freely and widely on account of its (14) highly poisonous property "but must be restricted to places and conditions where it is possible to exercise the strictest supervision.. Fatalities have occurred in the United States following the use of '1080' owing to the lack of precautions. The following experiment, which was carried out in September 1951, is referred to here since it is a good example of the state of our knowledge and experience in this country of the use of .1080'. LONDON DOCKS FIELD TESTING OF "COMPOUND 42". Objective To investigate the relative toxic -values of "Sorexa" and "Warfarin", the British and American Commercial products, which are diluted forms of "Compound 42" ("Warfarin") and which have already gained reputations as very effective rodenticides. Method Two warehouses of similar construction and in close proximity to each other were selected, each containing rat attractive food cargoes» Both warehouses showed recent indications of R.rattus, the infestation being confirmed by tracer dust and pre-baiting. In order to discover the most acceptable dry bait base, three types of bait were laid side by side at each bait station. These test baits included s- Sausage rusk Yellow Cornmsal Rough Oatmeal It was soon realised that the choice of bait was dry sausage rusk, so the other two types of bait were withdrawn from the test. The dry sausage rusk was subsequently mixed with the "Compound 42" in the prescribed proportion and the poisoned bait stations were maintained over several days on the top floor only. PART I No. 5 WAREHOUSE - "SOHEXA". Premises A 4-storey block warehouse of old design, superimposed over unpaved and brick built wine vaults, situated below ground level. The warehouse has brick walls and a paved ground floor, but the three floors overhead are of single wood boards laid upon transverse wooden joists which are supported on stout longtitudinal wooden bearers carried on the full length of the walla. Each floor is sub-divided by brick walls into 4 compartments and these are linked by hinged steel doors, which may not be closed. The floors are linked by a common stairway and a large conduit housing the mechanical hoisting gears wooden cargo doors on each floor are fitted to the external walls and many of the numerous windows are shattered. Access to the roof is possible by way of a staircase from the top floor terminating in a wooden door which is not secured. In addition to these constructed accesses the longtitudinal bearers and slight ceiling casings afford excellent rat harbourages from where the rat population has gnawed holey in the floor boards, thub all floors and compartments are accessible to a moving rat colony. .Infestation Moderate evidence vjas indicated on the dusted runs of the top and second floors, but the degree of evidence was less on the lower floors, yet only slight evidence was indicated by the amount of recent excreta. The infestation was recognised as a composition of adult and young R.rattus. Operation This was limited to the top floor, where tracking dust was laid and thirteen test bait stations were laid. After three days of test baiting it was decided to increase the number of station points where the consumption of pre-bait was greatest, and substitute the (15) pre-bait of sausage rusk with poisoned sausage rusk at a concentration of 0.025% and build each point up to 100 grams of the dry mixture. The thirteen stations comprised 24 of such points, with one or more points at each station according to demand. The cardboard bait trays were secured to the wood floor by press pins. The stations were visited each succeeding day save holidays, the consumption of bait recorded and each point restored to 100 grams. It was on the fifth day that the first dead or moribund rats were found on open spaces. Thereafter more were found on various floors and on the roof. The size and sex of those recovered was recorded and after 11 days the poisoned baits were lifted. It is noteworthy that of the rats recovered from this operation, ninety per cent were females and ten per cent of these were not more than two months old. After three days a tracking dust was laid,and this indicated that a substantial residue of the rat colony still remained. What of this residue? This operation had taken two -weeks and resulted in the recovery of thirty seven rats, although it is probable that many may have died in obscure harbourages or among the stored cargo. To avoid any more damage to cargo it was decided to try extermination of the remaining rats with "1080" "1080" As a check on the value of "Compound 42", under the stances in this warehouse, twenty points, each of one fluid ouna of poisoned water at a concentration of 0.25% were distributed over the top floor only and left for five days without being replenished, although some containers were dry on the third day. Each day the dead rats lying on open spaces were collected and checked. On the fifth day, the entire warehouse of four floors was treated with liquid "1080". One hundred and fifty points were laid and left for five days. Ihen the one-ounce containers were collected, they were dry, the poisoned water having been consumed by the rats, only a small amount having been lost by evaporation. Tracking dust was again laid on the top floor for two days and only one rat run was found. Summary "Sorexa" at 0.025% laid for 11 days at 24 stations on top floor Rats recovered from various floors 33 Females) 4 Males ) "1080" poisoned -water 20 points of 1 oz. laid on top floor Rats recovered in 5 days:- 51 Males ) 25 Females ) "1080" Poisoned Water150 Points laid through to clear. Rats recovered in 5 days 41 and 24 Mice " " " 8 " 70 " 24 " Total rats "SOREXA":- 37 " " 1080" 146 and 24 Mice (16) "COMPOUND 42" ("S0REXA") TABLE I Period CHOICE OF BAITS TAKEN - 13 STATIONS Oatmeal Sausage Rusk Cornmeal 1st Aug. 1st dav 135 Grams 90 Grams 85 Grams 2nd " 155 " 135 " 135 " 3rd " 165 " 150 " 135 " TABLE II POISONED RUSK TAKES - 24 STATIONS Period Take Period Take 4th Aug 1st - 4th day 1105 Grams 8th day 475 Grams 5th day 445 " 9th " 310 " 6th " 550 " 10th " 180 " 7th " 345 " 11th 90 " TABLE III RATS RECOVERED Date Male Female Where Found 5th day 1 2 Top 6th " 1 2nd 7th " 7 Roof, Top & 2nd 8th " 5 Roof and Top 9th " 1 6 Top and Ground 10th " 5 Top and Second 11th " 1 6 Top, 2nd & Ground 12th " 1 1 Top & 2nd Floor 4 33 "10 80" TABLE IV 20 POINTS OF LIQUID ON TOP FLOOR Date Rats Recovered Location M F. 18 th Aug 24 11 Roof, roadway, top and 2nd Floors. 20th " 15 9 Ditto. Ditto. 21st " 8 3 Top, 2nd and Ground Floors. 22nd " 4 2 2nd Floor. 20% of rats recovered not more than 2 months old. TABLE V 150 POINTS OF LIQUID OVER WAREHOUSE Date Rats Recovered Location Me Fa 23rd Aug. 18 ( 11 Ground, 1st & 2nd Floors. " " ( 8 mice ( 12 mice 24th " 5 4 1st and 2nd Floors. 2 " 2 " 25 th " - - - 26 th " - - - x 27th " 1 2 2nd Floor. 28th " 5 - 2nd " 29th " - - 30th " 14 10 Ground, Top & 2nd Floors. 43 27 10 mice 14 mice x Poison Baits collected. 10% of rats recovered not more than 2 months old. All mice adults. (17) PART II NO. 1. WAREHOUSE - WARFARIN ("RAX" POWDER) Premises Similar to No. 3 warehouse in construction, but contained some rat harbourage in the form of a false ceiling over one section of the second, floor. There was also considerable -wall damage in this section and a direct run into a workmen's canteen. The amount of rat attractive foodstuffs was somewhat less than in No. 3 warehouse. Infestation Sligh recent runs and excreta on upper floors. Operation As described in Part I. "COMPOUND 42" - RAX POVfflER TABLE I CHOICE OF BAITS TAKEN - 13 STATIONS Period Sausage Rusk Cornmeal Oatmeal Aug. 28th 1st day 95 Grams 75 Grams 30 Grams 2nd " 225 " 165 " - 3rd " 700 " 230 " 30 " TABLE II POISONED RUSK TAKES - 24 STATIONS Period Take Period Take Sept. 3rd 1st day 635 Grams 6th day 625 Grams 2nd " 850 " 7th " 215 " 3rd " 840 " 8th " 80 " 4th " 740 " 9th " - 5th " 670 " 10th " - TABLE III RATS RECOVERED Period Male Female Location 4th day - 2 Top Floor 5th " - 3 Top & 2nd 6th " - 5 Top, 2nd & outside 7th " 1 2 Top & 2nd 8th " - - 9 th " - - 10th " - - 1 12 "1080" TABLE IV 14th Sept. 20 POINTS OF LIQUID ON TOP FLOOR Date Rats Recovered Location M. F. 15th Sept. 8 1 1st and 2nd Floor 17th " 1 - Top Floor 18th " - - - 9 1 (18) TABLE V 19th Sept. 150 POINTS OF LIQUID THROUGHOUT Date Rats Recovered Location M. F. 20th Sept. 3 2nd Floor & outside• 21st " _ - 22nd " - - 23rd " - - 24th " 3 - Overall Totals s- WARFARIN 13 Rats "1080" 13 Rats SUMMARY; WARFARIN ("RAX" POWDER) at 0.025$ laid for 10 days at 24 stations on the top floor Total Rats Recovered:- 12 F and 1 Mo = 13 R.rattus ————————————— - "1080" POISONED WATER at 0.25^ concentration laid at 20 points of l-oa» capacity for 3 days on top floor. Total Rats Recovered;- 9 M and IF = lOR^rattus "1080" POISONED WATER at 150 points for 5 days Total Rats Recovered3 M. It is to be expected that some rats will be recovered when stored cargo is moved, as in the case of No. 3 warehouse, where 12 dead rats have been recovered since the operation was completed. No recent evidence of live rats remains in either warehouse. This experiment demonstrates the superiority of '1080' over an anti-coagulant as a rodenticide, but it must be remembered that '10808, as mentioned above, can only be used in places where the strictest control can be exercised and, therefore, its relative value is greatly reduced as a general rodenticide. One of the principal defects in the use of an anti-coagulant is the difficulty in finding a bait which rats will readily take in preference to foodstuffs which they are normally consuming, particularlv in the case of granaries. A good deal of work has still to be done in finding preferential baits for use with anti-coagulants. SHIPS. A Certain amount of experimental work has already been carried out in the use of '1080s for the destruction of localised infestations in ships with a view to obviating the expenses and numerous difficulties associated with fumigation with hydrogen cyanide. Very successful results have so far been attained^ as is shown by the following examples : DISINFESTATION OF MICE - "1080" S.S. "RAVENSPOINT" (Nett Tonnage 988). LONDON DOCK CONSTRUCTION: A shelter deck vessel with 2 large holds which are served by 4 hatches. The amidship section of the shelter deck is screened by 2 steel bulkheads with two fabricated wooden gangway entrances in each bulkhead. The enclosed space is used as wing-bunker space. A short but wide and deep cross-bunker is located between No. 1. hold and the boiler-room. A short tonnage space, also linked to (19) the shelter deck by fabricated wooden gang-way entrance, is situated abaft of the shelter decks Other spaces include forepeak and storerooms, general amidships accommodation, engine room and shaft alley, crew's quarters (aft) and afterpeak storeroom. Compartments Permanent Harbourage No. 1. Hold Covered Bilges, Raised Ceiling & Pipe Casings. No. 2. " -do- -do- -do- No. 3. " -do- -do- -do- No. 4. " -do- -do- -do- Shelter Deck Pipe Casings Tonnage Space Nil Forepeak Nil Afterpeak Stores Nil Coal Bunker Pipe Casings E.R. & Shaft Alley Store Cupboards Provision Rooms Bonded & Linen Lockers DESCRIPTION: The vessel had been trading between Liverpool and Mediterranean ports and had carried cargoes of peanuts, bales of rags &c. As long as six months ago, mice had been detected in the holds. It is generally acknowledged that mice* when established in such permanent harbourage, are very difficult to destroy. In addition to the permanent harbourage there was a considerable amount of loosely stacked dunnage both in the holds and shelter deck, and this naturally, impedes the recovery of the "kill". To assist in the search for dead mice, bilges were opened up by the lifting of one complete length of timber boarding and the large space enclosed by wood in No. 4. hold res opened up for inspection. The boarding of this space had just been renewed. Temporary harbourage such as the customary ship's stores were stow in the tonnage space and storerooms. EVIDENCE : There was considerable evidence of mice only in the Holds and Shelter Deck. The wooden partitions and ceiling boards showed cuttings and runs. Excreta, old and fresh, was also found in considerably quantity, e.g. No.l. Hold Pronounced old and recent No.2. " -do- -do- No .3. " Moderate -do- No.4. " Slight -do- Shelter Deck Moderate -do- Tonnage Space Slight -do- Provision Room -do- -do- TEST BAITING; None POISON BAITS 162 Dishes each containing 10 Grams of soaked wheat and flooded LAID: with 10 c.cs of "1080" liquid were laid for two nights. CONCENTRATION: 0.25% Solution. POISON TAKEN : Approximately 22 grams of wheat and 76 c.cs. of liquid. DISPOSITION OF POISON BAITS LAID AMD TAKEN: Liquid & Soaked Wheat (Units) Compartment Laid Taken No, 1 Hold 340 6 Gms & 22 c.cs. No. 2 " 440 4 n >» 18 n No. 3 " 340 2 tt ♦1 10 »l No. 4 " 280 - 6 n Shelter Deck 12.60 10 »» 16 *» Bunkers 160 - - Engine-room 120 - 2 (20) CONTINUED Compartment Laid Taken Forepeak 20 __ - Afterpeak Stores 60 - - Tonnage Space 120 - 2 Provision Rooms 100 - - 3240 22 Gms. 76 c.cs. MICE RECOVERED: 1st Night 2nd Night No. 1 Hold 29 1 Total 80 mi ce . No. 2 M 10 No. 3 " 4 Shelter Deck 33 3 76 4 CONCLUSION; This is another operation which suggests that "1080" -was very effective on the 1st nights No signs of life were observed during the final search. By reason of the obscure places wherein several poisoned mice sought to take refuge, it can he safely assumed that many are dead in the harbourage and remote places» The total operation absorbed 24 man hours. "ETHERTEST" - A Grain carrying lighter Infestation: Moderate, old and recent excreta. Operation: Two ceiling boards lifted. No test baiting 400 c.cs of water containing 0.25% '1080'. Vessel sealed up for two nights. Amount taken: 280 c.cs. Rats recovered :18 black in open hold and peaks 16 black recovered when ceiling was lifted. Conclusion: It is interesting to note that the rats took liquid bait in spite of the fact that they had plenty of wet grain and water in the bilges, where some were in hiding. Those recovered included old and very young specimens. One nest was attended by a poisoned rat and the young were dead beneath her. VII. FOOD INSPECTION. The total amount of foodstuffs seized and condemned for human consumption and either reconditioned or disposed of for animal consumption or for industrial purposes under guarantee or destroyed was 2,661 tons 0 cwts• 1 qrs. 2 lbs. The following is a summary showing the method of disposal of the foodstuffs seized :- Method of Disposal WEIGHT Approximate percentage of total seized. Tons. cwts. qrs. lbs. Boiling Down 75 10 3 14 2.8 Cattle Food 1,097 8 2 26 41.2 Re-Export 59 9 2 6 2.2 Re conditioning 15 17 2 27 0.6 Industrial Purposes 11 19 3 22 0.4 Refining 629 18 1 22 23.7 Other Districts 166 16 0 0 6.3 3uried 499 13 1 5 18.7 Burnt 104 5 2 20 3.8 2,661 0. 1. 2. 99.7 (21) The 2,661 tons condemned, for human consumption were disposed of as follows Cattle Feeding - wasting Bananas - 399 tons - from 37 Shipments, an approximate average of 24 tons per Shipment} wasting cocoanuts - 86 tons and 31 tons of Flour, Oatmeal, Wheat and Wheat sweepings (Ship's stores) out of condition and released for the manufacture of dog foods. Refining - 2,206 Bags Sugar Sweepings - contaminated with extraneous matter, 245 Tons and 2,560 Bags Sugar, fire and water damage , 384 tons. Buried - Wasting and decomposed fruit, 36 tons; wasting and decomposed vegetables, 380 tons; 107 Casks decomposed sweet pickles, 27 tons; 976 Jars Preserved Fruit, broken bottles, 2 Tons; 270 Cartons tinned mussels, blown tins, 3gtons; 165 Cases Tomato Juice and Puree, burst, blown and leaky, tons and 4,155 burst and blown tins of Butterbeans, 2 tons. Burnt - 263 cases loose collected citrus syrup, mixed with extraneous matter, 57 tons; 1,000 bags decomposing onions, 25 tons; 167 tins mincemeat, burst, 4 tons; a quantity of loose collected decomposing cocoanuts, 4 Tons; 30 cases decomposing pears e tons and 35 cases rancid biscuits 1 Ton. Other Districts - 166 Tons of rejected sip's stores released under the supervision of the local Medical Officer of Health. THE PUBLIC HEALTH (IMPORTED FOOD) REGULATIONS 1937 and 1948. Circular MF3/50 from the Ministry of Food, dated 23rd February, 1950, directs attention to a notice inserted in the "London Gazette" on the 21st February, 1950, in respect of an Official Certificate issued by the Republic of France for the purposes of the above-mentioned Regulations. The notice reads as follows s- "The Minister of Food gives notice, in pursuance of the above-named Regulations that he hereby recognises the Official Certificate of which particulars are given in the Schedule hereto as showing (a) that the meat to -which it relates was derived from animals inspected ante and post mortem and passed in accordance with criteria satisfactory to the Minister; and (b) that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to public health were taken in the dressing and preparing and packing of the meat. The Certificate being in the form of a stamp, the recognition will apply only if the stamp is clearly impressed on the meat and if the stamp has not in any other circumstances or on any other occasion been used as an Offical Certificate. The Certificate is in relation to pork and beef carcases only and is completed by the insertion of the number of the Establishment. The stamp may be used as an alternative to the label reproduced in Part I of the Schedule to the Notice published in the "London Gazette" of the 29th March, 1938'!. PUBLIC HEALTH (IMPORTED FOOD) REGULATIONS, 1937 and 1948. OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE Circular MF6/50 dated 5th April 1950 from the Ministry of Food calls attention to the publication in the London Gazette of 4th April, 1950 of a Notice containing in the Schedule thereto the description of a stamp issued by the Government of Malta, which has been recognised as an Official Certificate for the purpose of the Public Health (imported Food) Regulations, 1937 and 1948. The Notice reads as follows "The Minister of Food gives notice, in pursuance of the above-named Regulations that he hereby recognises the Official Certificate, of which particulars are given in the Schedule thereto, as showing (a) that the meat from which the meat product to which the certificate relates was prepared, was derived fro. animals inspected ante and post mortem and passed in accordance with criteria (22) satisfactory to the Minister and (b) that all necessary precautions for prevention of danger to public health were taken in the preparing and packing of the meat product. The certificate being in the form of a stamp, recognition will apply only if the stamp is clearly impressed on the package containing the meat product and the stamp has not in any other circumstances or on any other occasion been used as an Official Certificates." The Certificate is in relation to meat products only. PUBLIC HEALTH (IMPORTED FOOD) REGULATIONS, 1937 and 1948 ERITREA - OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE Circular MF. 8/50 dated 22nd May, 1950, issued by the Ministry of Food, directs that the Minister has caused to be published in the London Gazette of the 19th May, 1950, a Notice containing in the Schedule thereto, the description of a label issued by the British Administration of Eritrea which lias been recognised as an Official Certificate for the purposes of the Public Health (imported Food) Regulations, 1937 and 1948. The Notice reads as follows "The Minister of Food gives notice in pursuance of the above-named Regulations that he hereby recognises the Official Certificate of -which particulars are given in the Schedule thereto as showing (a) that the meat from "which the meat product to which the Certificate relates was prepared, was derived from animals inspected ante and post mortem and passed in accordance with criteria satisfactory to the Minister, and (b) that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to public health were taken in the preparing and packing of the meat product. The Certificate being in the form of a label, recognition will apply only if the label is securely affixed to the package containing the meat product and the label has not in any other circumstances or on any other occasion been used as an Official Certificate." The Certificate is for meat products, namely canned meat and the label will be completed by the insertion of the serial number of the Veterinary Department. PUBLIC HEALTH (IMPORTED FOOD) REGULATIONS, 1937 and 1948 CYPRUS - OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE Circular MF. 18/50 dated 23rd October, 1950, issued by the Ministry of Food directs that the Minister has caused to be published in the London Gazette, a Notice containing in the Schedule thereto the description of a label or stamp issued by the Government of Cyprus which has been recognised as an Official Certificate for the purposes of the above-mentioned Regulationso The Notice reads as follows "The Minister of Food gives notice, in pursuance of the above-=named Regulations, that he hereby recognises the Official Certificate of which particulars are given in the Schedule hereto as showing (a) that the meat to which it relates was derived from animals inspected ante and post mortem and passed in accordance with criteria satisfactory to the Minister, and (b) that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to public health were taken in the dressing of the meat. The Certificate being in the form of a label or stamp, recognition will apply only if the label is securely affixed to, or the stamp is clearly impressed on, the meat and has not in any other circumstances or on any other occasion been used as an Official Certificate." The Certificate, which is for meat, will be completed by the insertion of (23) the number of the establishment and. is in addition to the one recognised for sausage casings as notified in the Ministry of Health Circular 4/47, dated 22nd. January, 1947. PUBLIC HEALTH (IMPORTED FOOD) REGULATIONS, 1937 and 1948 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY - OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE Circular MF®20/50 dated 15th November, 1950 issued by the Ministry of Food directs that the Minister has caused to be published in the London Gazette, a Notice containing in the Schedule thereto a description of a stamp issued by the Federal Republic of Germany, which has been recognised as an Official Certificate for the purposes of the above-named Regulations. The Notice reads as follows :- "The Minister of Food gives notice in pursuance of the above-named Regulations that he hereby recognises the Official Certificate of which particulars are given in the Schedule hereto as showing (a) that the meat from which the meat product to which the Certificate relates was prepared, was derived from animals inspected ante and post mortem in accordance with criteria satisfactory to the Minister, and (b) that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to public health were taken in the preparing and packing of the meat product® The Certificate being in the form of a label or stamp, recognition will apply only if the label is securely fixed to, or the stamp is clearly impressed on, the package containing the meat product and the label or stamp has not in any other circumstances or on any other occasion been used as an Official Certificate. The label or stamp hereby recognised is in substitution for the label or stamp reproduced in Section II of the Schedule to the Notice published in the London Gazette of the 17th October, 1938, which Section is hereby revoked." The Certificate is for meat products only and is completed by the insertion of the number of the establishment. THE FOOD AND DRUGS (WHALEMEAT) REGULATIONS 1949. Circular MF. l/50 from the Ministry of Food, dated 31st January, 1950, reads as follows "I am directed by the Minister of Food to state, for the information of the Authority, that he has caused to be published in the "London Gazette" of the 20th January, 1950, a Notice containing in the Schedule thereto the description of a label issued by the Government of Iceland, which he has recognised as a Veterinary Certificate for the purposes of the Food and Drugs (Whalemeat) Regulations, 1949". The notice reads as follows s- "The Minister of Food gives notice,, in pursuance of the above-named Regulations» that he hereby recognises the Veterinary Certificate, of -which particulars are given in the Schedule thereto, as certifying (a) that the Whalemeat to which it relates or the whalemeat from which the whalemeat product to which it relates was prepared, was derived from whales inspected post-mortem and passed as fit for human consumption in accordance with criteria satisfactory to the Minister and (b) that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to public health were taken in the preparation, classification, packing, marking, storing and transporting of the whalemeat or whalemeat product in accordance with conditions satisfactory to the Minister". FOOD AND DRUGS (WIALEMEAT) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1950. Circular MF 2/50 of the Ministry of Food, dated 7th February, 1950, calls attention to an amendment in the principal regulations of 1949. (24) The amendment is as follows :- "The Food and Drugs (whalemeat) Regulations, 1949 (o) shall be amended bydeleting the word "classification" from sub-paragraph (ii) of the definition of veterinary certificate in paragraph (l) of regulation 1 thereof" „ Sub-paragraph (ii) now read as follows := "that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to public health were taken in the preparation, packing, marking, storing and transportation of the whalemeat or whalemeat product in accordance with conditions satisfactory to the Minister". THE FOOD AND DRUGS (WHALEMEAT) REGULATIONS, 1949-50. VETERINARY CERTIFICATE Circular MF 7/50 dated 8th May, 1950, from the Ministry of Food calls attention to the publication in the London Gazette of 5th May, 1950, of a Notice containing in the Schedule thereto the description of a label issued by the Government of Norway, which has been recognised as a Veterinary Certificate for the purposes of the Food and Drugs (Vftialemeat) Regulations, 1949-50. The Notice read as follows "The Minister of Food gives notice in pursuance of the above-named Regulations, that he hereby recognises the Veterinary Certificate of which particulars are given in the Schedule thereto, as certifying (a) that the whalemeat to -which it relates or the whalemeat from which the whalemeat product to which it relates was prepared, was derived from -whales inspected post mortem and passed as fit for human consumption in accordance with criteria satisfactory to the Minister and (b) that all necessary precautions for the prevention of danger to public health were taken in the preparation, packing, marking, storing and transporting of the whalemeat or whalemeat product in accordance with conditions satisfactory to the Minister." The Certificate is a label and will be completed by the insertion of the name of the Control Station and the date and signature of the Veterinary Controller• DANGEROUS DRUGS. During the year nineteen certificates authorising the purchase of Scheduled Dangerous Drugs were issued under the Dangerous Drugs (No. 3) Regulations, 1923, amending the Dangerous Drugs Regulations, 1921, regulation 15 of which is as follows :- "If a foreign ship in any port in Great Britain requires to obtain a supply of any of the drugs in order to complete the necessary equipment of the ship, the master of the ship is authorised to purchase and be in possession of such quantity of any of the drugs as may be certified by the Medical Officer of Health of the Port where the ship is (or in his absence by the Assistant Medical Officer of Health) to be necessary for the purpose, the quantity not to exceed -what is required for the use of the ship until it next reaches its? home port. The Certificate given by the Medical Officer or Assistant Medical Officer of Health of the Port shall be marked by the supplier with the date of the supply and shall be retained by him and kept available for inspection" . PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1936 - PART X - CANAL BOATS. On the 4th January, 1951, the Fort Medical Officer made a report on the (25) steps taken to carry into effect the provisions of Part X of the Public Health Act, 1936, relating to Canal Boats within the district of the Port Health Authority, during the year ended 31st December, 1950. Eight boats were inspected during the year. Three vessels were found to conform with the Regulations and the remaining five infringed the Regulations in that the Registration Certificate was not on board. The owners attention was called to this matter. No new boats were registered during the year under review, the actual number of Canal Boats on the Register on the 31st December, 1950, being 156. PARROTS (PROHIBITION OF IMPORT) REGULATIONS, 1930. The number of notices issued in accordance with the above-mentioned Regulations during the year was 40 in respect of 50 birds of the parrot family. Forty-seven birds were re-exported and 2 were destroyed under the supervision of your officers. One bird, in respect of which a notice had been issued, was found, on a subsequent visit to the ship by one of your officers, to be missing, and was the subject of the legal proceedings mentioned below. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. On the 29th August your Inspectors in the Royal Albert Dock reported that on the arrival of the ss "Durban Castle" in London on the 17th August a Notice was served on a member of the crew requiring the re-export of a parrot which he owned. A signed guarantee was then received from the owner undertaking to re-export the bird on the departure, of the ship from London. On a subsequent visit to the ship your Inspectors found that the bird was missing and enquiries showed that the owner had left the parrot in the care of another member of the crew who, it was alleged, has allowed the bird to e s cape. In view of the fact that the owner had given a guarantee to re-export the bird and, moreover, had been warned by your Inspectors of his obligations under the Parrots Regulations, your Medical Officer felt that the papers should be handed over to Mr. Comptroller & City Solicitor with a view to taking legal proceedings. The case was heard at the Greenwich Magistrate's Court on the 4th September and was dismissed. HOUSEBOATS AND HOUSEBOAT BYE-LAWS. The routine inspection of houseboats moored in the Upper Reaches of the Thames and also particularly in the Benfleet area, continued throughout the year under review. While the number of houseboats condemned and abandoned should, it had been hoped, have caused a reduction in the houseboat population, as the result of action taken by the Southend Corporation they were more than replaced by boats which could no longer occupy a berth in the Southend area and therefore had to move elsewhere. As the result of action taken by the Port. Health Authority, six uninhabitable houseboats were vacated and demolished during the year« One of the major problems in dealing with houseboats is the lack of control in respect of new arrivals and new construction. For instance , a houseboat arrived at Benfleet on the 1st October, 1950 having on board 4 adults and 2 children. She was moored in a position ¾ of a mile.from a supply of fresh water and an inspection on the 2nd October revealed a seriously defective and leaky hull, leaky accommodation, no sanitary (26) convenience and inadequate fresh water tanks. A written Intimation of nuisance was served on the 8th October and the houseboat was vacated on the 13th of the same month® The houseboat sank a few days later and has since been demolished. In other cases where the defects were less severe but nevertheless sufficient to render the houseboat an unsatisfactory dwelling, it has not always been possible to secure either the closing of the accommodation, or any material improvement in the conditions The greatest single cause of insanitary conditions on board a houseboat is a defective and leaky hull. Where the hull is leaky, water from the Creek finds its way in during every high tide and out again during the period of low water. Over a period of months the constant flooding with creek water leaves a thick deposit of evil smelling mud in the houseboat below the floor boards of the accommodation which is most objectionable and unhealthy. The second greatest trouble is distance from a supply of piped water. Distances vary from under 20 yards to ¾ of a mile. HOUSEBOAT BYE-LAWS. The new houseboat bye-laws have been in draft for a number of years but the housing shortage has rendered the more stringent requirements as regards sanitation, accommodation and siting of houseboats impracticable and it is indeed doubtful whether even if the houseboat bye-laws came into force, they could be enforced. It is bad practice to pass legislation which is unlikely to be accepted without considerable opposition, or successfully applied. Housing shortage encourages persons to reside permanently on board houseboats despite discomforts and difficulties because they have not found it possible to obtain suitable accommodation ashore. The housing shortage makes it virtually impossible for persons residing in a houseboat to obtain a house. It should be borne in mind that the majority of the permanent residents in houseboats in this area are of the lower income groups. The purchase price of a houseboat which may be considered suitable for "permanent" residence has varied from £75 for a small boat in rather poor condition, to £500 for a larger boat in good condition® Thereafter there is little expenditure on rates and on rent for a site. But there should also be a considerable outlay on upkeep - much more proportionately than on a house. This outlay on upkeep is often not forthcoming with the result that many houseboats are deteriorating. It is pathetic to think that people of little means are forced to incur an expenditure, which must make a heavy demand on their savings, on a structure which is often barely habitable, has a very short life and on which there is a constant and recurring outlay for maintenance, repairs etc. Most of the houseboats are only worth a fraction of what is paid for them. Houseboats used for holidays only are not such a serious problem. A high percentage of them are, from time to time, used for ''permanent" residence for periods of many months, especially as quite high rents will be paid by unfortunate families who have no where else to go. PUBLIC HEALTH (SHELLFISH) REGULATIONS, 1934. During the latter part of 1949 an outbreak of food poisoning in the Borough of Southend-on-Sea and in some other localities in South East England which was in part attributed to the consumption of shellfish which had been gathered in the Thames Estuary, mainly within the district of the Port Health Authority, resulted in a thorough investigation, in co-operation with the Medical Officer of Health of Southend-on-Sea, into the gathering of cockles from the prohibited areas and for the sterilization of such cockles as are intended for sale for human consumption in an apparatus which is for the time being approved by the Port Health Authority. As a result of these investigations a "short term policy" was devised to (27) ensure so far as possible that shellfish, especially cockles landed and cooked at Leigh, should be marketed in good condition. There were four main points - 1. The period of steam contact in the cooking process was temporarilyincreased from six minutes to seven minutes. 2. The practice of -washing the raw cockles in tidal water was discontinued and the cockles were washed in fresh -water from the town mains. 3. The use of certain gathering grounds -was temporarily discontinued. 4. The method of handling the cooked cockles was carefully examined with a view to an improvement in hygiene -where possible. These points were vigorously followed up during the end of 1949 and the beginning of 1950 and the following is a report received by your Medical Officer from Mr. D.E.Madeley, your Sanitary Inspector in the area, dated 3rd February, 1950 Shellfish Industry - Cooking of Cockles etc. During the past four months I have frequently timed the operation of steaming cockles at various establishments in this area, and I attach for your information a table showing typical examples of times and pressures. The first part of the table (Nos. 1 to 10) is concerned with establishments which still use the "Two Pots System", with no Reducing Valve. It is to be expected that these establishments will shortly instal a Reducing valve in accordance with the request made at the meeting with the Cockle Industry in October 1949, and most of them will also instal three cooking pots. Two of the establishments have already installed the complete "ThreePots System" with Reducing Valve, since October. The second part of the table (Nos. 11 to 20) is concerned with establishment! in which the "Three Pots System" with Reducing Valve is already in use. Cooking times. At the meeting in October, the Industry was requested (and they agreed) to increase the time of steaming from 6 minutes to 7 minutes as an additional safety measure. Many of the firms are loyally observing this voluntary agreement. A few are not, and frequent requests are now being met that steaming time shall revert to the six minutes required by the Shellfish Regulations. It is submitted that steaming time should revert to six minutes. This is the period laid down by the Shellfish Regulations , and the Port Health Authority's Order made under the Regulations, and it could if necessary be enforced at law. It is further submitted that if on the approach of warmer weather it is found by bacteriological examination that six minutes steaming is not sufficient) there would be good grounds for a renewed request for increased steaming time, pending the introduction of an amendment to the Shellfish Regulations or to the Port Health Authority's Order. It will be seen from the attached table that there have been some instances during the period under review in which the legal minimum of six minutes steaming has not been carried out. In each case which came to my notice, after warning the owner of the establishment concerned, I remained with him until the operation was carried out to my satisfaction, and I also made repeat visits until a satisfactory routine had been established. The danger that the cockles will be steamed for less than the six minutes prescribed by the Shellfish Regulations is in my opinion very much greater where the "Two Pots System" with no Reducing Valve is in use, for the following reasons' 1. The process of sieving two wire baskets of cookies contained in one cooking pot and replenishing the baskets takes approximately two minutes' (28) 2. Thus the period taken to deal with "Three Pots" in succession is approximately six minutes and the actual period is easily adjustable by means of a clock or Timing glass to the accurate six minutes required by the Regulations without appreciable loss of time to the operators . 3. With the "Two Pots System" the time taken to sieve the cockles and replenish the baskets of two pots is approximately four minutes. Thus a wait of two minutes is necessary after two pots have been sieved to maintain the six minutes routine During busy periods there is a tendency to reduce this waiting period. This is noticeable even when the Port Health Inspector is present. 4. The "Three Pots System" as at present installed always includes a Reducing Valve by means of which the steam is admitted to the cooking pots at a pre-arranged and constant pressure. This makes for steady and comparatively slow cooking. 5. With the "Two Pots System", with no Reducing Valve, steam is admitted to the cooking pots at boiler pressure. Where this pressure is high the result- is a very sudden charging of the pot with steam} and violent cooking. It is true the operator usually controls the admission of steam by manipulation of the hand valve to each pot, but this is a very haphazard method and results are most erratic. Pressure at the Reducing Valve. The correct setting of the Reducing Valve is essential to the success of cooking cockles by steam. There is bound "Co be some difference of opinion between the various members of the Industry as to the ideal pressure at which to work, and it is not the duty of the Port Health Inspector to dictate the actual pressure to be used. The following notes will, it is hoped, be of some value s- 1. It will be appreciated that no matter what the pressure at the Reducing Valve, the pressure of the steam in the cooking pot is constant at just above atmospheric pressure, since the vent; in the cooking pot is always open, and no pressure can possibly build up inside. 2. Though the pressure (and temperature) of the steam in the cooking pot is constant, the higher the pressure at the reducing valve, the greater the quantity of steam which is admitted to the pot. Consequently the contents are more quickly and thoroughly heated through, resulting in slightly quicker cooking. 3. The higher the pressure at the reducing valve, the more quickly will a pot "blow"; i.e. become completely charged with steam. It is when this has happened that cooking starts. Since the system of installation in every establishment with a "Three Pots System" comprises a §" diameter steam pipe from the boiler, which branches after the Reducing Valve into three separate diameter pipes for the separate cooking pots$ it is not surprising to find that the effective steam pressure drops as one, two and then three pots are turned on. The ratio of fall in the steam pressure varies a little from one apparatus to the next, but this should not make any material difference once an apparatus is adjusted to give satisfactory resultso Referring again to the second part of the attached table, it will be seen that pressures at which the Reducing Valve is set have varied from 151bs. per square inch at rest (lowest) to 50 lbs. per square inch at rest (highest). Example No. 11. 15 lbs. pressure at rest. This was staged as an experiment only. (29) With this pressure it took five minutes to charge the cooking pot with steam (i.e. to "blow") and a further four minutes for the cockles to cook, making nine minutes in all. Such a pressure is obviously of no use where the steaming time is to be six minutes. Examples No. 15, 17. 19. Pressures of 40 lbs., 50 lbs., and 40 lbs. at rest. It was found that these pressures were so high that the operator was unwilling to open his hand control valve completely and so, despite a Reducing Valve, the old haphazard control by hand valve held sway again with consequent irregular results® Examples 12 „ 13. 14. 18. 20. Pressures of 22 lbs, 25 lbs. 28 lbs. 3 2 lbs, & 28 lbs. respectively (at rest). The control valve was opened fully, the cooking pots "blow" consistently at between 2½ and 3 minutes, and cooking is regular and steady at 3 to 3½ minutes giving a satisfactory and consistent cooked cockle, with a total steaming time of 6 minutes. Handling and Cleanliness. There is a general improvement in the technique of handling the cooked cockle. In some establishments the improvement is very marked. This is a point which requires still further attention, especially to see that the present improvement is maintained or even enhanced during the coming warmer weather, when the volume of trade carried on will be increased considerably over the present day figure. It is unfortunately also true that in one or two isolated cases the standard of hygiene and cleanliness still leaves much to be desired. In these instances it may become necessary to take more drastic action if improvement cannot be obtained by the more friendly approaches. Several firms have carried out alterations and improvements to their apparatus. In many instances concrete pickling tanks have been completely re-surfaced. New galvanised iron tanks have been provided and floors have been re-laid. One shed is in process of being re-built, Two establishments have fitted the "Three Pots System" with Reducing valve. Only one establishment so far has a steam sterilising hose. Conclusions. A steaming time of not less than six minutes is required by the Shellfish Regulations 1934 and by the Port Health Authority's Order made under those Regulations. No reduction of this steaming time can be tolerated and a clock or timing glass should be present by which it can be checked. With the apparatus commonly in use at present, (including a Reducing Valve) a pressure at the reducing valve of 25 lbs. per square inch to 30 lbs. per square inch will result in the pots "blowing" at 2½ or 3 minutes and the cockles cooking for 3 to 3½ minutes. The higher the pressure, the quicker a pot will "blow" and the longer effective cooking time will be given to the cockles. Regulation of pressure should be by adjustment to the Reducing Valve, and not by manipulation of the hand control valve. A few experiments should soon give to each establishment a pressure at which the best results are obtained. Every effort should be made to continue during the coming summer the improvements in hygiene which have recently taken place. A re-issue of the paper "Advice on the handling of cockles in the Cockle Sheds" would draw attention to the salient points. (30) The Industry should proceed with all possible speed with the provision of means for sterilizing their apparatus. D.E. MADELEY, Inspector• A copy of this report was forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health of Southend, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and to the members of the Local cockle industry. SHELLFISH INDUSTRY - LEIGH AND DISTRICT. Steam cooking times for Cockles - January 1950. Pressures Time taken To blow Additional Time to Cook Total Time in Pot At Rest Steaming 1 Pot Steaming 2 Pots Steaming 3 Pots Minutes Minutes Minutes 1 50 50 50 2½ 4½ 7 2 52 52 52 l½ 2 3½ 3 48 48 48 2 6 8 4 32 32 32 2 3½ 5½ 5 42 42 42 2 2 4 6 35 35 35 5 2½ 7½ 7 38 38 38 2 5½ 7½ 8 40 40 40 l½ 2½ 4 9 34 34 34 2½ 4 6½ 10 24 24 24 2½ 4 6½ 11 15 10 8 6 5 4 9 12 22 16 12 10 3½ 3½ 7 13 25 21 17 14 3 3 6 14 28 16 15 11 3 4 7 15 40 21 16 14 3½ 4½ 8 16 20 16 14 11 3 2 5 17 50 48 40 28 2½ 3½ 6 18 32 29 26 18 2½ 5½ 8 19 40 26 25 20 1½ 5 6½ 20 28 16 15 11 3 4 7 (31) During the whole of 1950 the closest co-operation between the Port Health Authority and the Southend Corporation continued. Some 446 samples were taken by the Southend Corporation from the cockle sheds and bacteriologically examined at the Public Health Laboratory at Southend, the results being made available to this Authority. Of these samples 115 were taken direct from the sterilizing apparatus. One sample was classified as "fair", 15 were ''good" and the remaining 99 were 'Very good'' - indicating that the sterilizing process as carried out was effective. The remaining 331 samples were taken of cockles after washing and preparation for sale. while the condition of these samples was satisfactory and gave no cause for anxiety for the public health, it was notable that during the summer months of June, July, August and September, the bacterial condition of the samples res not so good as during the winter months. From the investigations so far carried out it appears that this may be due to the higher temperature of the tap water during the summer months 'which makes it more difficult to cool the cockles quickly and effectively after cooking. This point is receiving still further attention, meanwhile the following table showing the results of the Bacteriological Examinations of samples examined during 1950, gives emphasis to this point:- SOURCE OF SAMPLE WHOLE PERIOD 9th Feb. 1950 - 3rd Jan. 1951 SUMMER ONLY June, July, August,September Total Samples Good & Very Good Fair & Moderate Poor & very Poor Total Samples Good & very Good Fair and Moderate Poor & very Poor % % % % % % Ho. 1 Shed 40 19 48 11 27 10 25 17 1 6 8 42 8 42 Ho. 2 Shed 19 13 68 5 26 1 6 12 6 50 5 42 1 8 No. 3 Shed 34 17 50 10 30 7 20 16 3 19 7 44 6 37 Ho. 5 Shed 33 15 45 12 37 6 18 17 4 24 7 41 6 35 Ho. 7 Shed 40 11 28 12 30 17 42 17 1 6 5 29 11 65 Ho. 10 Shed 29 11 38 7 24 11 38 14 1 7 3 22 10 71 Ho. 12 Shed 40 2 5 9 22 29 73 17 1 6 3 18 13 76 Ho. 14 Shed 35 10 29 14 40 11 31 17 2 12 6 36 9 52 BILLET WHARF 35 11 31 20 57 4 12 17 1 6 13 76 3 18 SOUTHEND 26 14 54 7 27 5 19 14 3 22 6 43 5 35 TOTALS 331 123 37 107 33 101 30 158 23 14 63 40 72 46 (32) Appendix 1. Medical Inspection - From 1st January to 31St December, 1950. Gravesend. jan . Febs. mch. apl.. mav jne . Jly. aug. Sep. oct Nov. dec. Total. Medically inspected 118 117 151 124 128 142 180 151 116 111 125 136 1,599 of PASSENGERS. 941 508 1377 1746 2420 5400 6375 5681 4621 1252 1045 485 32,054 of Crew. 503 8144 594 569 319 249 1197 416 152 520 474 391 6,203. of FOREIGN arrivals. 769 681 841 764 842 891 940 806 776 814 793 800 9,737 Appendix II. infectious Disease Disease 1941 1942 1943 1944. 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 MEAN ANNUAL NO FOR 10 years ending 3lst december,1950 1950 CASES Reported- cholera(including suspected cases) - - - - - - - - — - - Yellow fever -DO- - - - - - - - - - - - Plague - Do- - - - - - - - - - - - Typhus Fever - - - - 1 - - 1 5 0.7 - Smallpox: 1 1 - 1 - 5 2 3 2 1.9 4 Scarlet fever 1 2 5 4 5 2 10 3 3 4.2 7 Enteric fever 1 1 - - 4 9 5 10 82* 12.1 9 Measles 1 1 1 1 8 11 26 99 80 28.6 58 German measles 5 2 l - 2 6 5 3 3 4.4 17 Diphtheria 11 5 3 5 5 8 5 2 1 4.5 - Erysipelas 2 - - - — - — 1 - 0.4 1 pulmonary Tuberculosis 4 5 12 6 14 21 27 32 43 20.5 4.1 other diseases(including chiken pox). 88 179 273 180 115 79 102 106 124 136.0 114 TotalS 114 196 295 197 154 141 183 259 343 213.3 251. * Due To An outbreak of enteric fever on board a ship. thiS Outbreak was described in the report for 1949 admitted To Hospital cholera (including suspected cases) - - - - - - - - - - - YELLOW Fever - Do- - - - - - - - - - - - Plague - Do- - - - - _ - - - - - - TyPhuS fever - - - - - - - 1 3 0.4 - Small pox - - - - - - - - - - - Scarlet fever - 2 5 4 4 2 - 3 - 2.0 - Diphtheria 9 5 2 4 5 7 4 2 - 3.8 - Enteric Fever - 1 - - 3 - 2 3 - 1.5 6* Measles - 1 - 1 4 6 10 24 8 5.9 5 Erysipelas 2 - - - - - - - - 0.3 1 Parotitis - - 2 3 1 5 1 4 3 2.0 1 Dysentery - - - - 1 8 9 3 1 2.2 - other Diseases.(including chiken pox) 26 15 16 34 50 43 60 80 34 41.3 55 totals 37 24 25 46 68 71 86 120 49 59.4 68 *includes 5 "healthy excretors" Appendix III Denton hospital. Diseases Admitted Discharged Transferred to other hospitals. Died Remaining in hospital Measles 5 5 - - - German Measles. 1 1 - - - CHICKEN POX. 30 30 - - - Enteric fever 6* 6 - - - Poliomyelitis. 1 1 - - - Mumps. 1 1 - - - Erysipelas 1 1 - - - other diseases. 23 23 - - - Totals 68 68 - - - *includes 5 "healthy expertors" remaining lN HOSPItal.on 31st December,1949 4 Admitted during 1950 68 Discharged, transfered or died 72 33 Appendix IV. Return Of Rats Caught and destroyed during the Year I950. JAN. feb. mch. Apl. may jne jly Aug Sep Oct. Nov Dec, Total London Dock- Warehouse 67 33 23 35 73 23 32 21 24 36 46 60 473 VesselS. 2 — 29 4 3 - 41 8 1 2 - - 90 SIKATHARiG Dock- Warehouses - - - 38 5 - 1 4 62 19 30 21 180 Vessels. - - - - - - - - - - - - - SURREY Commercial dj wareHouses. 40 50 33 35 32 63 84- 54 26 56 76 29 578 Vessels — - 16 32 16 — — 97 65 — — - 226 EaSt India Dock- WareHouses 8 24 29 95 147 84 92 23 28 29 57 20 635 Vessels - - - - - - - - - - - - - West India Dock- WAREHOuses . 114 161 343 264 210 88 323 156 137 107 97 210 2,209 Vessels 65 9 18 37 32 7 34 40 32 32 8 21 335 Millwall Dock- Warehouse. 53 374 646 218 115 66 63 249 115 49 90 57 2,09 5 VESSELS. 1 55 - 33 3 1 178 112 - - 3 — 386. Royal AlbfRt Pock- Warehouses 20 27 44 20 38 33 18 16 49 26 41 19 351 Vessels 6 18 77 1 29 3 40 - 74 - 7 14 269 Royal Victoria Pock- Warehouses 5o 10 26 3 13 6 26 11 98 65 64 21 395 Vessels - 1 1 42 - - 14 - - ' 14 - 72. King GeoRge: V. Dock- Warebhouses 13 22 23 15 14 15 14 32 32 22. 22 8 234 Vessels 9 12 - 5 43 45 2 18 15 2 - 12 163. Tilbury Dock- Ware Houses. 10 14. 45 14 19 33 28 62 43 24 40 20 352 Vessels. 22 10 5 20 111 10 30 18 2 13 - - 242 Resents CANAL Dock- Warehouse 22 15 37 16 33 30 13 24 12 12 22 22 276 Vessels - - - - - - - - - - - - - River - Vessels. - - - - - - - - 11 - - - 11 totalS, 503 835 1398 927 956 507 1033 944 626 494 617 534 9,574 (34) APPENDIX V. HYGIENE OF GREW SPACES. CLASSIFICATION OF NUISANCES 1950. British owned Vessels. Foreign owned Vessels. Smoke Nuisances No. of complaints received 21 No. of recurrences reported 6 - Offensive Cargoes No. of infringements reported 8 - Structural and other Defects Inadequate ventilation 20 1 Defective Lighting - Natural 1 - do. do. - Artificial 5 1 Defective Heating 19 2 Condensation 26 2 Leaking Decks 19 1 Leaking Portss Decklights etc. 10 - Leaking Sideplates 1 - Leaking Hawse and Chain Pipes 4 - Deficient or Obstructed Floor drainage 14 - Water lodging on top of Peak Tanks 1 - Defective Bulkheads 3 - do. Floors 3 - do. Doors 2 1 do. Chain Pipes - - do. Bunks - - do. Clothes Lockers 6 1 do. Food Lockers 13 - do. Food Storage 3 1 do. Cooking Arrangements 2 - Defective or Uncleanly drinking water storage 3 - Water Closets Obsolete 2 1 do. Defective 19 2 do. Foul or Choked 11 2 do. Inadequate Flush 14 2 Wash Basins Defective 6 - do. Fou1 9 Neglected Paintwork or Distemper 30 2 Absence of Washrooms 5 2 Absence of Messrooms 7 2 Misappropriation of Crew spaces 3 - Verminous quarters 62 15 Dirty quarters 689 79 Miscellaneous 52 1 TOTALS 1,107 118 Total number of vessels on which sanitary defects were reported 835 102 Total number of vessels on which sanitary defects were remedied 784 91 (35) Appendix vi- General Summary and analysis of the sanitary Inspections Etc., in the Port of london for the year ended 31st December 1950. Foreign coastwise Inland Navigation Shore premises sick seamen refe(?(?cd ~rb Hospital. Water Barges. Steam sail Steam Sail Steam Sail Lights as (untnhab* (teo) C anal boats 1 r* fcfe: ci £ o. Derec-rive To be clcanco. Inspected Defective To se Cleaneo, Inspected Defective "to Be Cleaned. |iMSecrec>. Defective To be Cleaned Inspected. Defective "To 6£ CLEANED |fm spected DeTCCTlVE To Be cueanfo. Inspected Defective To be clecvned Inspected Defective To be Cleaned Inspected Defective To &e Clcaned. 1 no in District in good Condition on31st dec : 194q. new bfvr&es. con de mned use discontinued previousut wltuprawn am© ClNCff resumec wo«k no in District on 31st December 1950. 7025 166 564 29 - 1 1910 57 168 101 1 4 86 3 11 5 - - 646 12 19 8 - - 8236 83 169 197 14 - - 1 - 13 Inspections Docks and River no. Nationalities no. Total Inspections London and Sikat: 817 American 93 Argentinian 1 3 Belgian 148 l6^ January to Regent's ganal 478 Brazilian 14 31st December i950> British 6, 88S ftoreign 1054 Surrey Commercial 1,214 Chilian io Danish 251 Coastwise l.O 1 1 Inland Navigation 737 East India 257 Dutch 901 Shore Premises 5,236 Egyptian 4 Total 18,038 West India 713 Finnish 138 French 81 millwall 352 Greek 55 German 99 Number of Vessels Inspected in the Launches Royal Victoria 387 Honduras 2 Indian 18 Royal Albert 583 Israeli 15 Italian 53 King George V. 471 LibeRi an 2 "Alfred Roach1' 1,667 Panamanian 61 "Howard Deighton' tllbury 1018 Polish 12 Frederick Whittingham" 1,289 portuguese 22 "Alfred Robertson" 556 River - Upper 1269 Roumanian 1 Russia 43 3,512. „" Middle 556 South African 1 Spanish 25 „Lower 1,667 Swede and Norwegian 794 Swiss 4 River Medway Turkish 1 Urucuavan 2 Yugo Slavian 46 In Docks Etc. 6,290 Total Vessels 9,802 "Total Vessels 9,8o2 Shore Premises 8,236 Shore Premises 8,236 Shore premiSeS 8,236 Total. 18,038 Total 16,038 Total. 18, 038 (36) APPENDIX VII. DOCKS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE PORT HEALTH AUTHORITY. Docks Water Area Lineal Quayage Acres Yards Miles Yards Regent's Canal 11 38 — 966 St. Katharine 10 488 - 1,654 London 34 4,460 3 119 Surrey Commercial 161 2,717 16 200 West India 97 3,957 4 1,134 East India 31 2,878 1 1,242 Millwall 35 3,217 2 155 Roval Victoria 95 1,772 5 1,479 Royal Albert 87 213 3 905 King George V 64 997 3 663 Tilbury 104 2,166 3 1,667 The River distance between the Western and Eastern limits of the Port is about 68J- miles . APPENDIX VIII POWERS• The work of the Port of London Health Authority is carried out under the following Acts of Parliament and Statutory Rules and Orders EXISTING ACTS AND ORDERS APPLICABLE TO THE PORT OF LONDON HEALTH AUTHORITY. CONSTITUTION OF THE AUTHORITY. Public Health (London) Act, 1936. ASSIGNMENT OF POWERS. L.G.B. Order} Port Sanitary Authority Assignment of Powers} Port of London 25th March, 1892 L.G.B. Order, Port Sanitary Authority Assignment of Further Powers, Port of London 29th December, 18S L.G.B. Order, Port Sanitary Authority Assignment of Powers, Port of London 30th June, 1898. S.R. & 0. 1922, No. 781. London Port Sanitary (Additional Powers) Order, 1922 18th July, 1922. S.R. & 0. 1923, No. 812. London Port Sanitary (Additional Powers) Order 1923 16th July, 1923. S.R. & 0. 1933, No. 803. The Port of London (Assignment of Powers) Order, 1933 11th August, 1933 ADMINISTRATION. Port Sanitary Administration and Medical Inspection of Aliens under the Aliens Order, 1920. (Grants in Aid) 14th July, 1920. City of London (Various Po-wers) Act, 1922. Part IV. Section 30. City of London (Various Powers) Act, 1933. Part III. Sections 6 and 7. S.R. & 0. 1926, No. 552. Sanitary Officers Order, 1926. 27th May, 1926. (37) 25th March, 1892 29th December, 1894 30th June, 1898. 18th July, 1922. 16th July, 1923. 11th August, 1933. INFECTIOUS DISEASE. Infectious Disease (Notification) Act, 1889 to 1899. Public Health Act, 1896. Public Health (Ports) Act, 1896. S.R. & 0. 1910. No. 1165. Prevention of Epidemic Diseases Regulations as to Plague. Destruction of Rats, 1910. 10th November, 1910 S.R. & 0. 1912. No. 1226. Public Health (Cerebrospinal Fever and Acute Poliomyelitis) Regulations, 1912. 15th August, 1912. S.R. & 0. 1918.No. 67. Public Health (Notification of Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1918, 19th January, 1918 S.R. & 0. 1926. No. 972. Public Health (Notification of Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations, 1926 31st July, 1926. S.R. & 0..1927. No. 1207. Infectious Diseases (London) Regulations, 1927. 22nd December, 1927. S.R. & 0. 1930. No. 299. Parrots (Prohibition of Import) Regulations, 1930. 24th April, 1930. S.R. & 0. 1933. No. 38. The Port Sanitary Regulations, 1933. 4th February, 1933. S.R. & 0. 1945. No. 1282. The Port Health Amendment Regulations, 1945. 10th October, 1945. CANAL BOATS. Public Health Act, 1936. FOOD. Public Health (Regulations as to Food) Act, 1907. S.R. & 0. 1924. No. 1432. Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924 (Part IV). 20th December, 1924. S.R. & 0. 1925 No. 775 ) S.R. & 0. 1926 No. 1577 ) Public Health ) (Preservatives, etc. S.R. & 0. 1927 No. 577 ) in Food) Regulations, 1928. S.R. & 0. 1926 No. 820. Public Health (imported Milk) Regulations, 1926. 6th July, 1926. S.R. & 0. 1937 No. 329. Public Health (imported Food) Regulations, 1937. 16th April, 1937. Statutory Instrument No. 886. Public Health (imported Food) Amendment Regulations, 1948 27th April, 1948. Statutory Instrument No. 404. The Food and Drugs (Vshalemeat) Regulations, 1949. 20th March, 1949. Statutory Instrument No. 189. The Food and Drugs (Vshalemeat) (Amendment) Regulations, 1950 6th February, 1950. (38) SHELLFISH. S.R. & 0. 1934, Ho a 1342. Public Health (Shellfish) Regulations, 1934. 7th December, 1934. S.R. & 0. 1935 No. 1221. The Medw/ay (Shellfish) Regulations, 1935). 11th December, 1935. RATS AND MICE Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949. SMOKE ABATEMENT. Public Health (London) Act, 1936. ABATEMENT OF NUISANCES AND REMOVAL OF REFUSE. Public Health (London) Act, 1936. FERTILISERS AND FEEDING STUFFS. Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926. S.R. & 0. 1932 No. 658. Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Regulations, 193 2. 11th August, 1932. S.R. & 0. 1928. No. 439. Order appointing 1st July, 1928 as the date for the coming into operation of the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926. 30th May, 1928. DANGEROUS DRUGS. S.R. & 0. 1923 . No. 1095. Dangerous Drugs (No.3) Regulations, 1923. 10th September, 1923. ALIENS. S.R. & 0. 1920. No. 448. The Aliens Order, 1920. AIRCRAFT. S.R. & 0. 1950. No. 6. Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations, 1950. 3rd January, 1950. IMPORTATION OF CATTLE. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Animals (importation) Order, 1930, dated 4th November, 1930. Part III, Article 22t Part 17, Articles 23, 24 and 25. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Animals (Landing from Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man) Order. 1933, dated 17th January, 1933. Part II, Article 17. BYE-LAWS. Bye-laws have been made by the Port of London Health Authority 1. For preventing nuisances arising from barges or vessels carrying offensive cargoes. 2. For removing to hospital any person suffering from dangerous infectious disorders, and for the keeping therein of such persons as long as may be deemed necessary. 3. With respect to Houseboats used for human habitation within the limits of the Port of London. (39)