[Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Southampton Port Health Authority.

  • Southampton (England). Port Health Authority.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Southampton Port Health Authority. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    There is, however, as I have shown, a possibility of the Govern¬ ment saving the expenses of administration under the Quarantine Aet, probably then placing upon the Port Sanitary Authorities duties now carried out and paid for by the Privy Council. In such event it would be only fair that a grant in aid of the expense of performing these extra duties should be made, and if only a small portion of the present cost was allowed, the State would still gain financially. I should like to add that in my experience the legal enact¬ ments relating to Port Sanitary Administration are not up to the standard of modern requirements. There is, as I have pointed out, much divided responsibility, and many important details affecting both the health of the floating population and residents of large passenger ports require simple and effective measures for successful but not arbitary administration. By conference wfith other Port Sanitary Authorities, we should perhaps find difficulties existing elsewhere that in all proba¬ bility would not occur at Southampton, owing to peculiarities aftecting the trade, or to the geographical position of individual ports. In conclusion, I submit the following are the chief points deserving attention :— (t) a new Act containing provisions Q) For protecting the health of the floating population (d) The prevention of the importation of dangerous infectious disease. (c) The concentration of duties respecting the above under one Authority. (//) Better powers for dealing with specified nuisances This would necessitate the consideration cf further points such as— ].—The appointment of a Port Sanitary Mooring Station. 2.—Signals to be hoisted by vessels having certain infectious diseases on board.