FUMIGATION

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of accidental plague infection. No rats, dead or alive, must be taken
outside the dock gates except by consent of the Port Local Authority.
(2) Effort should be directed to keeping the ship rat-free. Any increase in
the number of rats on board or unusual mortality among them
should be reported to the Port Medical Officer immediately the ship
arrives in port.
N.B.—Nothing in this Act affects the power of the Port Local Authority to
deal with rats as a preventive measure against plague. Under the Plague
Regulations, any obstruction offered to an Officer of the Authority involves a
penalty not exceeding One Hundred Pounds, with an additional Fifty
Pounds for each day the obstruction continues.
Fumigation.—In all cases fumigation should, where possible,
be carried out between the completion of discharge and commence-
ment of loading, in order to prevent any possible damage to cargo,
such as galvanised iron, tin plates, etc., by sulphur, and to moist
cargo, such as salt, by hydrocyanic acid.
Preparation.—The vessel may be fumigated by sulphur fumes
or hydrocyanic acid gas ; the latter is rather dangerous, and special
precautions have to be taken after fumigation to ensure that the
vessel is gas-free before persons, other than the sanitary officials,
are allowed on board.
Limber boards should be removed in the holds and pipe casings
and bilges opened up. 'Tween deck hatches removed, weather
deck hatches to have alternate boards removed and covered with
two thicknesses of tarpaulin. Doors to be opened if leading to the
space being fumigated. Dunnage removed or stacked on an elevated
platform to avoid harbourage for rats. Windsails to be suspended
in readiness for ventilation when fumigation is completed.
Doors of all accommodation should be kept open to allow free
flow of gas; ports to be workable. Keys to be at the disposal of
the fumigating staff before the ship is placed under gas. Cupboards,
lockers, drawers, bins, fuse boxes, etc., to be open, and all beds
lifted. Vents to be closed at deck outlet. Galley fires to be
extinguished.
Immediately before fumigation an officer of the ship is required
to sign a form certifying that all ship's crew and contractors' men
are ofi the ship. After fumigation has commenced, no persons are
allowed on the ship exce.pt the fumigation staff or officials of tire