S.I. No. 170/1948 -- Infectious Diseases (Shipping) Regulations, 1948

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Health Act, 1947 (No. 28 of 1947), after consultation with the Minister for Industry and Commerce, hereby makes the following Regulations :--

PART I. PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL.

Citation.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Infectious Diseases (Shipping) Regulations, 1948.

Definitions.

2.--(1) In these Regulations--

the expression " the Act " means the Health Act, 1947 ;

the expression " approved port " means a port in which the chief medical officer is authorised by the Minister to grant deratisation certificates and deratisation exemption certificates ;

the expression " chief medical officer " means a county medical officer or a city medical officer and includes also an assistant county medical officer or assistant city medical officer to whom duties under these Regulations have been assigned and any other medical officer authorised by the Minister or by a health authority with the consent of the Minister to perform specific duties, or exercise specific powers under these Regulations ;

the expression " the Convention " means the International Sanitary Convention of Paris, 1926, as amended ;

the word " crew " includes any person having duties on board a ship or employed on board in any way in the service of the ship, the passengers or the cargo and in particular includes the master ;

the expressions " deratisation certificate " and " deratisation exemption certificate " mean respectively a deratisation certificate and a deratisation exemption certificate either issued under Article 19 or 20 of these Regulations or otherwise issued in conformity with Article 28 of the Convention at a port which has been notified to the International Office of Public Health or the World Health Organisation as possessing the equipment and personnel necessary for the deratisation of ships ;

the word " district " means the functional area of a health authority ;

the word " dysentery " includes amoebic dysentery and bacillary dysentery;

the expression " foreign-going ship " means a ship employed in trading or going between some place or places in the State and a foreign port ;

the expression " foreign port " means a port or place situate elsewhere than in the State, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands ;

the expression " health authority " means the council of a county in which there is a customs port or a part of a customs port, or the corporation of a county borough ;

the expression " health officer " means an officer of a health authority authorised by the health authority to enforce or execute any provisions of these Regulations ;

the expression " immigration officer " means an immigration officer appointed by the Minister for Justice, or other person employed as an immigration officer under the Aliens Order, 1946 ( S. R. & O. No. 395 of 1946 ) ;

the word " infected " in relation to a ship arriving in a district, means a ship--

(a) which has on board a case of plague, cholera or yellow fever ; or

(b) on which a person developed plague more than six days after embarkation and which has not since been subject to the prescribed measures ; or

(d) which has had on board a case of cholera within five days prior to arrival and which has not since been subjected to the prescribed measures ; or

(e) which had on board a case of yellow fever at the time of departure from a port, or which has had such a case on board during the voyage and which has not since the last case occurred been subjected to the prescribed measures ;

Provided that for the purpose of the definition of the word " infected " a case presenting the clinical features of cholera shall be deemed to be a case of cholera until two bacteriological examinations made with an interval of not less than 24 hours between them have not revealed the presence of cholera or other suspicious vibrios ;

the expression " infected area " means an area as respects which an Order under Article 23 of these Regulations is for the time being in force ;

the expression " infectious disease " means any of the diseases listed in the First Schedule to these Regulations ;

the word " master " includes any officer or other person for the time being in charge of or in command of a ship ;

the expression " the Minister " means the Minister for Health :

the expression " placed under surveillance " means that the person in relation to whom the expression is used is required to submit to medical examination and such enquiries as are necessary with a view to ascertaining his state of health and may include a requirement to report to the chief medical officer on arrival in his functional area and periodically thereafter;

the expression " prescribed measures " means--

(a) in relation to plague, cholera, typhus or smallpox in the State, such of the measures (not being measures to which a person disembarked from a ship is subjected) set out in the Fifth Schedule to these Regulations as are appropriate, and

(b) in relation to yellow fever in the State or plague, cholera, yellow fever, typhus or smallpox outside the State, such measures (not being measures to which a person disembarked from a ship is subjected) at a suitably equipped port as are prescribed by the Convention ;

the expression " recent vaccination " in relation to a person arriving by or proposing to embark on a ship means vaccination against smallpox which took place not earlier than three years and not later than fourteen days before the date of his arrival, or, as the case may be, the proposed date of his embarkation, and was successful or gave an immune reaction of which there is evidence ;

the word " ship " includes a boat ;

the word " suspected " in relation to a ship arriving in a district means a ship--

(a) on which a person developed plague within six days after embarkation and which has not since been subjected to the prescribed measures ; or

(b) on which there has been an unusual mortality among rats the cause of which is undetermined ; or

(c) which had on board a case of cholera at the time of departure from a port or during the voyage but on which no fresh case has occurred within five days prior to arrival and which has not since the last case occurred been subjected to the prescribed measures ; or

(d) arriving from a port or seaboard included because of yellow fever in the list of infected ports and seaboards kept by the chief medical officer pursuant to Article 33 of these Regulations or from a port or seaboard in close relation with an endemic centre of yellow fever after a voyage of less than six days or after a longer voyage. if there is reason to believe that the ship may be. carrying mosquitoes emanating from the said port or seaboard ;

Provided that for the purpose of the definition of the word " suspected " a case presenting the clinical features of cholera shall be deemed to be a case of cholera until two bacteriological examinations made with an interval of not less than 24 hours between them have not revealed the presence of cholera or other suspicious vibrios ;

the expression " suitably equipped port " in relation to any disease means a port which has been notified to the International Office of Public Health or the World Health Organisation as possessing the necessary organisation and equipment for dealing with that disease ;

the expression " typhus " means epidemic louse-borne typhus ;

the word " valid " in relation to a certificate means issued within the last preceding six months or, where the ship in respect of which the certificate is issued is proceeding to its home port the last preceding seven months.

(2) References in these Regulations to " the district " and " the health authority " shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed respectively as relating to the district in which a ship is for the time being and to the health authority for such district and references to " the chief medical officer " shall unless otherwise stated be construed as relating to the chief medical officer of such health authority.

Commencement.

3. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1st day of July, 1948.

Revocations.

4. The Regulations mentioned in the Second Schedule to these Regulations shall, on the coming into operation of these Regulations, be revoked.

Enforcement of Regulations.

5. These Regulations shall, subject to any arrangement for joint action by health authorities under Section 101 of the Act, be enforced and executed by every health authority through their appropriate officers.

PART II. SHIPS ARRIVING.

Ascertainment of health conditions on board ship.

6. The master of a foreign-going ship approaching a district from a foreign port shall ascertain the state of health of all persons on board.

Sending of wireless message re persons with symptoms of infectiouns disease, etc.

7.--(1) Where the Minister has by Order, a notice of which is published in the Iris Oifigiúil, declared that the provisions of this Article shall apply to any district specified in the Order, the master of any foreign-going ship fitted with a suitable wireless transmitting apparatus, on approaching such a district from a foreign port shall, if any person on board has symptoms of infectious disease or if there are any circumstances requiring the attention of the chief medical officer, send to the health authority of such district either directly or through an agent approved by the health authority, a wireless message embodying such of the items of information set out in the Third Schedule to these Regulations as are applicable.

(2) Any wireless message so required to be sent shall be sent so as to reach the health authority not more than twelve and not less than four hours before the time at which the ship is expected to arrive in the district.

(3) Any message in wireless code delivered to the health authority shall unless otherwise provided in the notice published pursuant to subarticle (1) of this Article, conform with the section relating to routine quarantine messages of the 1931 International Code of Signals.

Sending of wireless and other messages in certain cases.

8.--(1) If, when a foreign-going ship which is fitted with a suitable wireless transmitting apparatus is approaching from a foreign port a district to which the last preceding Article does not apply, or when a foreign-going ship not so fitted is approaching any district from a foreign port, any person on board has any symptoms of infectious disease or there are any circumstances requiring the attention of the chief medical officer, the master shall, whenever practicable before the arrival of the ship and otherwise forthwith on arrival notify the health authority in regard to the health conditions on board.

(2) If a wireless message is sent in such a case it shall contain such of the items of information set out in the Third Schedule to these Regulations as are applicable, it shall be sent in accordance with the provisions contained in paragraph (2) of the last preceding Article and, if in code, it shall conform with the section relating to routine quarantine messages of the 1931 International Code of Signals.

Notification of officer of customs and excise.

9. A health authority, upon receipt of information that a person on board a ship approaching their district has symptoms of infectious disease or that there are circumstances in relation to any such ship requiring the attention of the chief medical officer, shall forthwith notify the collector or other proper officer of customs and excise to that effect.

Use of flags and signal-lights.

10. The master of a ship coming from a foreign port shall comply with the provisions as to flags and signal-lights contained in the Fourth Schedule to these Regulations.

Mooring stations.

11.--(1) A health authority may with the consent of the Minister, and shall, if the Minister so directs establish with the concurrence of the collector or other proper officer of customs and excise and the harbour master a mooring station in such a situation as to enable a ship to be moored without coming into contact with other ships or with the shore.

(2) The chief medical officer with such concurrence as aforesaid may designate as a special mooring station for any particular ship some place so situate as aforesaid other than an established mooring station, and any special station so designated shall in relation to that ship be deemed to be a mooring station.

Infected or suspected ships, etc

12.--(1) In any of the cases hereinafter specified the master of a ship arriving in a district shall cause the ship to be taken to a mooring station unless the chief medical officer of the health authority allows the ship to be isolated at its place of mooring, discharge or loading, or otherwise directs that is to say where--

(a) the ship is an infected or suspected ship or has a case of typhus or smallpox on board ; or

(b) during the voyage (or, where the voyage has lasted more than six weeks, during the last six weeks)--

(i) there has been on the ship a case or suspected case of plague, cholera, yellow fever, typhus, or smallpox ; or

(ii) plague has occurred or been suspected among rats or mice on the ship ; or

(iii) sickness or death not attributable to poison or the employment of other measures for destruction has occurred among rats or mice on the ship ;

and the ship has not since any such condition supervened been subjected to the prescribed measures.

(2) The master of a ship shall cause the ship to be taken to a mooring station if the chief medical officer, having reason to believe that the ship falls within any of the categories specified in sub-article (1) of this Article so directs.

(3) If a ship is an infected or suspected ship because of yellow fever such of the measures prescribed in relation to that disease by the Convention as the chief medical officer considers necessary shall be carried out.

(4) If a ship is an infected or suspected ship, because of plague, cholera, typhus, or smallpox, such of the measures set out in the Fifth Schedule to these Regulations as are appropriate shall be carried out.

(5) When a ship is caused to be taken to a mooring station pursuant to sub-article (1) or (2) of this Article such ship shall remain at the mooring station until it has been examined by the chief medical officer and any measures (not being measures to which a person disembarked from the ship is subjected) which may be required to be carried out in pursuance of sub-article (3) or (4) of this Article have been completed.

Declarations of health.

13.--(1) The master of ship arriving in a district on a voyage from a foreign port shall fill in and sign a declaration of health in the form set out in the Sixth Schedule to these Regulations or in such other form as may be approved by the Minister, and if the ship carries a ship's surgeon such surgeon shall countersign the declaration.

(2) The master shall deliver the declaration of health to the officer of customs and excise or the chief medical officer or other health officer, whoever shall first board the ship.

(3) The officer receiving the declaration of health shall forward it to the health authority, and in any case in which an officer of customs and excise has detained a ship pursuant to these Regulations the health authority if he so requires shall furnish him with a copy of the declaration.

Detention of ships.

14.--(1) Where a ship arrives in a district on a voyage from a foreign port and it appears to an officer of customs and excise from answers to questions in a declaration of health or from answers to enquiries made by him or otherwise--

(a) that during the voyage (or, where the voyage has lasted more than six weeks, during the last six weeks) there has been on the ship a death from illness suspected to be of an infectious nature or a case of such illness, or

(b) that the ship has called at a port or seaboard included in the list kept under Article 33 of these Regulations, or

(c) that during the voyage (or, where the voyage has lasted more than six weeks, during the last six weeks) plague has occurred or been suspected among rats or mice on the ship, or sickness or death not attributable to poison or other measures for destruction has occurred among rats or mice on the ship,

he shall direct that the ship be taken to and detained at a mooring station unless the chief medical officer otherwise allows.

(2) The chief medical officer may direct that a ship arriving from a foreign port shall be detained for medical inspection, and may give notice in writing to that effect, to the officer of customs and excise who, if he is the first officer to visit the ship, shall deliver the notice to the master.

Saver in relation to mooring, etc., of detained ship and cesser of detention.

15.--(1) If a ship is detained under sub-article (2) of Article 14 of these Regulations--

(a) it shall be allowed to proceed to or remain at its place of mooring, discharge or loading unless the chief medical medical officer otherwise directs, and

(b) the chief medical officer shall visit the ship as soon as possible.

(2) The detention of a ship by an officer of customs and excise under sub-article (1) of Article 14 of these Regulations shall cease as soon as the ship has been duly visited and inspected by the chief medical officer or, if the inspection has not commenced within twelve hours after the ship has been moored, on the expiration of that period.

Restrictions on boarding or leaving ship.

16.--(1) Where a ship arrives in a district from a foreign port no person other than a pilot, an officer of customs and excise, an immigration officer or a person acting in the execution of these Regulations shall, without the permission of the chief medical officer or other health officer, board or leave the ship until it is free from control under these Regulations, and the master shall take all steps necessary to secure compliance with this provision.

(2) The chief medical officer may require any person who applies for permission to leave a ship which is not free from control under these Regulations as a preliminary condition to state his name, and his intended destination and address, and to give any other information which the chief medical officer may reasonably think necessary for transmission to the chief medical officer for the county or county borough within which the intended place of destination of the person is situate.

(3) If a person who is required to state his intended destination and address before being permitted to leave a ship which is not free from control under these Regulations, either is unable to do so or if having done so he arrives, within a period after landing to be specified to him by the chief medical officer, which shall not exceed fourteen days, at a place other than that which he has so stated, he shall, immediately after his arrival, forward particulars of his actual place of arrival and his address to the chief medical officer for the district in which he left the ship.

Ships arriving from infected ports and seaboards and ships at mooring stations.

17.--(1) The chief medical officer or other health officer shall--

(a) inspect, on arrival in the district, any ship which has come from or called at any foreign port or seaboard which is included in the list kept under Article 33 of these Regulations, and any other ship which has come from or called at a foreign port and on which plague (human or rodent), cholera, yellow fever, typhus, or smallpox, has occurred or been suspected during the voyage ;

(b) cause all practicable steps to be taken to prevent the escape of rats from a ship which has been detained at or sent to a mooring station or isolated at its place of mooring, discharge or loading on account of the discovery of or suspicion of the presence on board of plague-infected rats.

(2) The chief medical officer shall within twelve hours after the arrival of a ship at a mooring station or after the detention of a ship by an officer of customs and excise or as soon as possible thereafter, board and examine the ship ; and if the ship is liable to be subjected to further control under these Regulations continue the detention or detain the ship, as the case may require.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of sub-article (1) of this Article, a ship shall be deemed not to have come from or called at a foreign port or seaboard if without having been in communication with the shore, it has landed only mails and passengers and their luggage, or it has taken on board only mails or passengers with or without their luggage from another ship which has also not been in communication with the shore.

Removal of ship to mooring station after arrival in district.

18. If plague-infected rats are discovered, or plague, cholera, yellow fever, typhus or smallpox occurs on any ship after it has come into a district the chief medical officer may if he thinks fit require the master to remove the ship to a mooring station.

Issue of deratisation certificates and deratisation exemption certificates.

19.--(1) On the arrival of a ship from a foreign port at an approved port, whether or not the first port of call in the State, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands, the chief medical officer or other health officer shall, unless a valid deratisation certificate or valid deratisation exemption certificate is produced in respect of the ship, take such steps as he may consider necessary to ascertain whether the ship is maintained in such a condition that the number of rats on board is kept as low as is reasonably possible.

(2) If, after the ship has been inspected, the chief medical officer is satisfied that the ship is free from rats or is maintained in such a condition that the number of rats on board is kept as low as is reasonably possible, he shall sign and issue a deratisation exemption certificate.

(3) If, after the ship has been inspected, the chief medical officer is of opinion that the ship is not maintained in such a condition that the number of rats on board is kept as low as is reasonably possible he shall require the ship to be deratised in such manner as may be specified or approved by him, and the master shall forthwith make arrangements for the deratisation of the ship to be carried out to the satisfaction of the chief medical officer.

(4) After the deratisation has been completed to his satisfaction, the chief medical officer shall sign and issue a deratisation certificate.

Applications for deratisation certificates or deratisation exemption certificates.

20. Upon receipt of an application in writing from the owner of any ship in an approved port, or from the master of the ship acting for and on behalf of the owner, for a deratisation exemption certificate or a deratisation certificate in respect of the ship, the chief medical officer shall take such steps as he may consider necessary to satisfy himself that the ship is maintained in such a condition that the number of rats on board is kept as low as is reasonably possible or give directions for the deratisation of the ship, as the case may require, and, on being satisfied as to the condition of the ship or that the deratisation of the ship has been properly carried out, he shall issue the appropriate certificate.

Form of and fees for deratisation certificates and deratisation exemption certificates.

21.--(1) All deratisation and deratisation exemption certificates shall be in such form as the Minister may from time to time direct.

(2) A copy of every such certificate shall be retained in the office of the health authority, and a copy shall be forwarded to the Minister if he so directs.

(3) The owner or the master of the ship shall pay to the health authority such fee for the inspection of the ship and for the issue of a certificate as the health authority, with the consent of the Minister, may from time to time determine.

PART III. SHIPS IN PORT.

Embarkation of persons.

22.--(1) The chief medical officer--

(a) may examine any person proposing to embark on a ship departing from the State whom he suspects to be suffering from an infectious disease ;

(b) shall, if after examination, he is of opinion that the person shows symptoms of yellow fever, prohibit his embarkation ;

(c) may, if after examination, he is of opinion that the person shows symptoms of an infectious disease other than yellow fever prohibit his embarkation ;

(d) shall notify the master as to any person embarking on or continuing his voyage on the ship, who in the opinion of the chief medical officer should be placed under surveillance.

(2) In the case of smallpox a person shall not be prohibited from embarkation if he satisfies the chief medical officer that he is sufficiently protected by recent vaccination or by a previous attack of smallpox.

Infected areas.

23.--(1) The Minister may by Order, notice of which is published in the Iris Oifigiúil, declare any district or part thereof for the time being to be--

(a) infected with plague, cholera, or yellow fever, or

(b) infected with any other infectious disease which in the opinion of the Minister is a menace to other countries because of its spread or potential spread, or

(2) When any district or part thereof is for the time being an infected area, the following provisions shall apply :--

(a) The chief medical officer may prohibit the embarkation on any ship of a person coming from an infected area, or permit his embarkation subject to specified conditions.

(b) The chief medical officer may at any time and shall within twelve hours after receiving a request from the master so to do, visit any ship in his area, and may medically examine any person coming from an infected area who proposes to embark on or is on board the ship.

(c) The chief medical officer or other health officer may and on the request of the master of a ship shall examine any clothing, bedding, or other article which is worn by or is intended to be taken by any person on the ship and which, in the opinion of the chief medical officer or other health officer may have been exposed to infection, and may require the disinfection, disinfestation or destruction of any such clothing, bedding, or article of personal use.

(d) The chief medical officer or other health officer may require any parts of a ship which, in his opinion, may be infected to be disinfected, disinsected, or disinfested to his satisfaction.

(e) No person coming from an infected area shall take or cause to be taken on board a ship, any clothing, or bedding or any article whatsoever which, in the opinion of the chief medical officer or other officer as aforesaid is capable of carrying infection, unless that officer is satisfied that it has been effectually disinfected or disinfested as may be required.

Special provisions relating to plaque.

24. When any district or part thereof is for the time being an infected area because of infection with plague, the chief medical officer may and shall if so required by the Minister do in relation to any ship in a port in his district which is in the infected area any of the following things:--

(a) take steps to secure the deratisation of any such ship on which he has reason to believe there are rats and for that purpose Articles 19, 20, and 21 of these Regulations shall, mutatis mutandis, apply and

(b) require the master of any such ship to take under the the direction of the chief medical officer or other health officer, such precautions for effectively stopping rats gaining access from the shore to the ship as in the opinion of such officer are necessary for preventing the spread of infection.

Special provisions relating to cholera.

25. When any district or part thereof is for the time being an infected area because of infection with cholera, the chief medical officer may and shall if so required by the Minister do in relation to any ship in a port in his district which is in the infected area any of the following things :--

(a) take steps to ensure that all tanks and filters used for the supply of drinking water on such ship shall be emptied, cleansed and disinfected and that the tanks shall then be refilled with potable water ;

(b) prohibit any person from taking on board any such ship foodstuffs generally or any specified foodstuffs or class of foodstuff or any foodstuff obtained from a specified source of supply ;

Special provisions relating to typhus.

26. Where any district or part thereof is for the time being an infected area because such area is an area in which typhus exists in an epidemic form, the chief medical officer may require any person coming from the infected area who proposes to embark on or is on board any ship to be disinfected or disinfested.

PART IV. MISCELLANEOUS.

Powers of chief medical officer and other officers to enter ship, etc.

27. For the purposes of these Regulations, the chief medical officer and other health officers shall have power to enter or board any ship in the district, and may cause the ship to be brought to and, if necessary, moored or anchored in some safe and convenient place while it is visited and inspected.

Examination of persons, etc.

28. A chief medical officer may--

(a) examine any person who is suffering from infectious disease on board a ship in his district;

(b) examine any person who is on board such a ship, where there are reasonable grounds for believing or suspecting that infectious disease is or may be present on the ship, or that persons on board the ship have been exposed to infection from infectious disease during the voyage of the ship or during a period of three weeks immediately preceding the arrival of the ship in the district ;

(d) detain for the purpose of examination either upon the ship or at some appointed place on shore any person whom he is empowered under this Article to examine ;

(e) cause any person whom he is empowered under this Article to examine and the clothing of or any articles belonging to such person to be cleansed and disinfected ;

(f) prohibit any person whom he is empowered under this Article to examine from leaving the ship, or from leaving the ship save upon such specified conditions as appear to the chief medical officer to be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of infection in the district or elsewhere ;

(g) require the master to take or assist in taking such steps as, in the opinion of the chief medical officer, are reasonably necessary for preventing the spread of infection by any person whom he is empowered under this Article to examine, for the destruction of vermin and for the removal of conditions on the ship likely to convey infection, including conditions the existence of which might facilitate the harbouring of vermin.

Duties of master of ship.

29. The master of a ship in a district shall--

(a) answer all questions as to the health conditions on board which may be put to him by an officer of customs and excise or chief medical officer or other health officer and furnish the health authority and their officers with all such information and assistance as may be reasonably required by them for the purposes of these Regulations ;

(b) notify forthwith the chief medical officer of any case of infectious disease on the ship and of any circumstances on board which are likely to lead to infection or the spread of infectious disease, including in his notification particulars as to the health and sanitary conditions of the ship and the presence of dead rats or mortality or sickness among rats in the ship ;

(c) comply with these Regulations and any directions or requirements of the health authority or the chief medical officer or other health officer of the health authority given or made in pursuance of these Regulations.

Compliance with directions etc., of health authority.

30.--(1) A person to whom these Regulations apply shall comply with all directions, requirements or conditions given, made or imposed by the health authority or by any officer acting in pursuance of these Regulations, and shall furnish all such information as may be reasonably required (including information as to his name, destination, and address) and a person who has for the time being the custody or charge of a child or other person who is under disability shall comply with any directions, requirements or conditions so given, made or imposed, and shall furnish all such information as aforesaid in respect of such child or other person.

(2) A person who is placed under surveillance in pursuance of these Regulations shall give facilities for any medical examination required by the county or city medical officer of the area in which he is.

Disinfection, etc. of ships and articles on board ships.

31.--(1) Where the chief medical officer certifies that the cleansing, disinsecting, disinfestation or disinfection of--

(a) the whole or any part of a ship ; or

(b) any articles on board any ship which are likely to retain infection,

would tend to prevent the spread of infectious disease the health authority shall give notice in writing to the master of such ship that the whole or such part of such ship or such articles will be cleansed, disinsected, disinfested or disinfected by the health authority at the cost of the master of the ship, unless such master informs the health authority within six hours from the receipt of the notice that he will forthwith cleanse, disinsect, disinfest, or disinfect the whole or such part of such ship or such articles to the satisfaction of the chief medical officer.

(2) If within six hours from the receipt of the notice the master does not inform the health authority as aforesaid, or if, having so informed the health authority, he fails to have the whole or such part of such ship or such articles cleansed, disinsected, disinfested, or disinfected within a reasonable period thereafter, the whole or such part of such ship or such articles shall be cleansed, disinsected, disinfested, or disinfected by the health authority.

Charges for services.

32.--(1) Where the master of any ship is required by or in pursuance of these Regulations to carry out any measures for reducing the danger or preventing the spread of infection, the health authority may themselves, at the request of the master and, if they think fit, at his cost, cause any such requirement to be complied with instead of enforcing the requirement against the master.

(2) The amount of the charge for any work so to be undertaken by the health authority shall be such reasonable sum as to the exclusion of any charge or claim in respect of profit represents the actual or estimated cost to be incurred by the health authority in undertaking the work, so however, that it shall not exceed the sum of twenty pounds unless notice of the proposed charge has been given to the master before the work is undertaken.

(3) When the health authority cause any requirement to be complied with at the cost of the master they may, if they think fit, require the amount of the charge for the work or a part thereof to be paid to or deposited with them before the work is undertaken.

(4) Where any action (including any measures of cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, disinsecting or deratisation) has been taken in regard to a ship in pursuance of these Regulations the health authority or the chief medical officer shall, on the request of the master or any other interested person furnish the master or other person free of charge with a statement in writing recording the particulars of the action and the reasons why the action was taken.

(5) A statement under sub-article (4) of this Article in regard to deratisation measures shall not take the form of a deratisation certificate unless such a certificate could be issued under Article 19 or 20 of these Regulations.

(6) The chief medical officer shall on the request of any interested person furnish him free of charge with a certificate showing any preventive measures which have been taken in respect of merchandise or baggage under these Regulations.

List of infected ports and seaboards.

33.--(1) The chief medical officer of a health authority shall from time to time prepare and keep up to date a list of foreign ports and sea-boards which are infected or believed to be infected or which serve an area infected or believed to be infected with plague (human or rodent), cholera, yellow fever, typhus, or smallpox, and shall supply a copy of every such list and any amendment thereof to each pilot and officer of customs and excise employed at the port.

(2) In the preparation and amendment of the said list the chief medical officer shall take into account any information sent to him from time to time by the Minister and all other information which shall come to his knowledge.

Recovery of fees and charges.

34. Any fee payable to the health authority in pursuance of sub-article (3) of Article 21 and every charge authorised by Article 32 may be recovered by the health authority as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Saving formals.

35. Nothing in these Regulations shall render liable to detention, disinfection, or destruction any article forming part of any mail (other than a parcel mail) conveyed under the authority of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, or of any other postal administration, or shall prejudicially affect the receipt on board and delivery in due course at the port or place of destination of any such mail (other than a parcel mail) in accordance with the Post Office Acts.

Saving for ships putting to sea.

36.--(1) The master of a ship in or approaching a district who does not desire to submit to any requirements of these Regulations which may be applicable shall be at liberty to put to sea without being subjected to control under these Regulations if he notifies the chief medical officer of his intention.

(2) If the master of such a ship desires to discharge cargo, to disembark passengers or to take on fuel, foodstuffs or water, the chief medical officer may grant him permission so to do subject to such conditions, in conformity with the provisions of Article 54 of the Convention as the chief medical officer thinks fit, and the master shall proceed accordingly and put to sea with due dispatch.

Cesser of detention of person or ship.

37.--(1) Where a chief medical officer has detained a person under these Regulations, he shall, as soon as he is satisfied that such detention is no longer necessary, notify such person accordingly and thereupon the detention shall cease.

(2) Where a chief medical officer has detained a ship under these Regulations, he shall, as soon as he is satisfied that such detention is no longer necessary, notify the master of such ship and the appropriate officer of customs and excise accordingly and thereupon the detention shall cease.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis.

Anthrax.

Cerebro Spinal Fever.

Cholera.

Diphtheria.

Dysentery.

Malaria.

Measles.

Paratyphoid A.

Paratyphoid B.

Plague.

Psittacosis.

Scarlet Fever.

Smallpox.

Typhoid.

Typhus.

Yellow Fever.

Article 4.

SECOND SCHEDULE.

REGULATIONS REVOKED.

Date	Subject or Short Title
21st January, 1908	Regulations as to Cholera, Yellow Fever, and Plaque; Ships arriving from foreign ports.
21st January, 1908	Regulations as to Cholera and Plaque; (Ireland): Coasting Ships.
21st January 1908	Regulations as to Cholera and Plaque (Ireland): Outward bound ships. Specified Articles.
6th September, 1930	The Public Health (Deratisation of Ships) Regulations, 1930.

Article 7 (1) and 8.

THIRD SCHEDULE.*

WIRELESS MESSAGES--ITEMS OF INFORMATION.

Item I.

The following is an International Quarantine Message from vessel indicated of port indicated which expects to arrive at time indicated on date indicated.

Item II.

My port of departure (first port of loading) and my last port of call were as indicated by the immediately following groups.

Item III.

Number indicated cases of infectious disease(s) indicated have occurred during the last 15 days.

Item IV.

I have no other case of sickness on board.

I have number indicated other cases of sickness on board.

Item V.

Number indicated deaths from sickness infectious or otherwise have occurred on board during the voyage.

Item VI.

I have a ship's surgeon on board.

I have no ship's surgeon on board.

Item VII.

I do not wish to disembark any sick.

I wish to disembark number indicated sick suffering from disease(s) indicated.

* For notes on the sending of a standard quarantine message see p. 229 of Vol. 11 of the British Edition of the 1931 International Code of Signals.

Item VIII.

My crew consists of number indicated and I have no passengers on board.

My crew consists of number indicated, and I have number indicated passengers.

Item IX.

I do not propose to disembark any passengers.

I propose to disembark number indicated passengers of class indicated.

Article 10.

FOURTH SCHEDULE.

FLAGS AND SIGNAL LIGHTS TO BE USED.

Whichever of the undermentioned signals is appropriate shall be shown until the ship is free from control under these Regulations :--

(a) by day, during the whole of the time between sunrise and sunset, when the ship is within the limits of a district--

(i) the Flag Signal Q ; meaning--" my ship is healthy and I request free pratique " ;

(ii) the Two Flag Signal QQ ; meaning--" my ship is suspect, that is to say, I have had a case or cases of infectious disease more than five days ago, or there is an unusual mortality among rats on board " ; or,

(iii) the Two Flag Signal QL ; meaning--" my ship is infected that is to say, I have had a case or cases of infectious disease less than five days ago."

Whichever of the above signals is appropriate shall be shown at the masthead or other conspicuous place where it can best be seen.

(b) by night, during the whole of the time between sunset and sunrise, when the ship is within the limits of a district a signal consisting of a red light over a white light, the lights being not more than six feet apart, and meaning--" I have not free pratique."

Whichever of the above signals is appropriate shall be shown at the peak or other conspicuous place where it can best be seen.

Articles 2 and 12.

FIFTH SCHEDULE.

MEASURES TO BE CARRIED OUT IN RESPECT OF AN INFECTED OR SUSPECTED SHIP OR OF A SHIP WITH A CASE OF TYPHUS OR SMALLPOX ON BOARD.

PART A.--PLAGUE.

I.--INFECTED SHIPS.

1. The ship shall be inspected and all persons on board shall be medically examined by the chief medical officer.

2. The sick shall be disembarked and isolated immediately.

3. All persons who have been in contact with the sick and those whom the medical officer has reason to consider to be probable sources of infection shall be disembarked, if possible.

4. The chief medical officer, after taking into consideration the date of the last case, the condition of the ship, and all the circumstances may either--

(a) isolate any such person ; or,

(b) place him under surveillance ; or,

Provided that a person shall not be isolated or kept under surveillance for a period exceeding six days after the date of arrival of the ship in the district.

5. During any period of isolation or surveillance the members of the crew may be prohibited from leaving the ship, except for the purposes of their duty, and after notification to the health authority.

6. Bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and other articles which in the opinion of the chief medical officer, are infected shall be disinfested, and, if necessary, disinfected.

7. The parts of the ship which have been occupied by persons suffering from plague or which the chief medical officer considers to be infected shall be disinfested and, if necessary, disinfected.

8.--(a) The chief medical officer may require the ship to be deratised before any cargo is discharged if he considers it possible, having regard to the nature of the cargo and the way in which it is loaded, to effect the deratisation of the ship before the discharge of cargo.

(b) If the ship has not been deratised before the discharge of cargo, or if it has been so deratised and the chief medical officer considers a further deratisation necessary and the master agrees, the ship shall be deratised as soon as the holds are empty.

(d) If the ship is to discharge part only of its cargo and the chief medical officer considers it impossible to carry out a complete deratisation the ship may remain in the district for the time required to discharge such part of its cargo, provided that all precautions, including isolation, are taken to the satisfaction of the chief medical officer to prevent rats from passing from the ship to the shore, either during unloading or at any other time.

(e) The discharge of cargo shall be carried out under the supervision of the chief medical officer or other health officer, who shall take all measures necessary to prevent the spread of infection.

II.--SUSPECTED SHIPS.

9. The provisions contained in paragraphs 1, 6, 7 and 8 of Part A of this Schedule (relating to plague infected ships) shall also apply to ships suspected of plague.

10. The members of the crew and the passengers may be kept under surveillance for a period not exceeding six days after the date of arrival of the ship.

11. The members of the crew may, for the like period, be prohibited from leaving the ship except for the purposes of their duty, and after notification to the health authority.

PART B.--CHOLERA.

I.--INFECTED SHIPS.

1. The ship shall be inspected and all persons on board shall be medically examined by the chief medical officer.

2. The sick shall immediately be disembarked and isolated.

3. The members of the crew and the passengers may be disembarked and either be isolated or be placed under surveillance for a period not exceeding five clear days after the date of arrival of the ship. Persons satisfying the chief medical officer that they have been vaccinated for cholera, within the preceding six months, excluding the last six days thereof, may be placed under surveillance, but shall not be isolated.

4. Bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and other articles, including foodstuffs, which, in the opinion of the chief medical officer, have been recently contaminated, shall be dinfected.

5. The parts of the ship which have been occupied by persons infected with cholera or which the chief medical officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected.

6. The discharge of cargo shall be carried out under the supervision of the chief medical officer or other health officer who shall take all measures necessary to prevent the spread of infection.

7. If the drinking water stored on board is suspected by the chief medical officer to be infected, he shall cause it to be disinfected and discharged from the ship, and to be replaced after disinfection of the tanks and filters, by a supply of wholesome drinking water.

8. The chief medical officer may prohibit the emptying of water ballast unless it is first disinfected, if it was taken on board at an infected port.

9. The chief medical officer may require human dejecta and the waste water of the ship to be disinfected before they are discharged from the ship.

II.--SUSPECTED SHIPS.

10. The provisions contained in paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 of Part B of this Schedule (relating to cholera infected ships) shall also apply to ships suspected of cholera.

11. The members of the crew and the passengers may be kept under surveillance for a period not exceeding five days after the date of arrival of the ship.

PART C.--TYPHUS.

1. This Part of this Schedule applies to ships which, during the voyage or, if the voyage has lasted more than six weeks, within the last six weeks, have had, or at the time of their arrival have, a case of typhus on board.

2. The ship shall be inspected and all persons on board shall be medically examined by the chief medical officer.

3. The sick shall be disembarked, isolated and disinfested immediately.

4. Any other person reasonably suspected to be harbouring lice, or to have been exposed to infection, shall also be disinfested and may be placed under surveillance for a period not exceeding twelve days from the date on which he was disinfested.

5. All persons on board shall be offered inoculation against typhus.

6. Bedding which has been used, linen, wearing apparel and any other article which the chief medical officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected and disinfested.

7. The parts of the ship which have been occupied by persons suffering from typhus or which the chief medical officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected and disinfested.

PART D.--SMALLPOX.

2. The ship shall be inspected and all persons on board shall be medically examined by the chief medical officer.

3. The sick shall be disembarked and isolated immediately.

4. Any other person reasonably suspected by the chief medical officer to have been exposed to infection on board shall, unless in the opinion of the chief medical officer, the person is sufficiently protected by recent vaccination, or by a previous attack of smallpox either--

(a) be offered vaccination and placed under surveillance for a period not exceeding fourteen days after the date of arrival of the ship, or

(b) be placed under surveillance for the said period without vaccination, or

(c) be offered vaccination and isolated until the result of the vaccination is known and thereafter kept under surveillance until the fourteenth day after the arrival of the ship, or

(d) be isolated for a period of fourteen days after the date of arrival of the ship.

5. Bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and any other article which the chief medical officer considers to have been recently infected shall be disinfected.

6. The parts of the ship which have been occupied by persons suffering from smallpox or which the chief medical officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected.

Article 13.

SIXTH SCHEDULE.

MARITIME DECLARATION OF HEALTH.

(International Form.)

(To be rendered by the Masters of ships arriving from a foreign port).

Port of............................................................ ...................	Date............................................................ ......................
Name of vessel............................................................ ...	From........................... to..................................................
Nationality............................................................ .........	Master's Name............................................................ ....
Net Registered Tonnage...............................................
Deratisation or
Deratisation Exemption Certificate...............	Dated..................................
Issued at..................................................

No. of Passengers	{	Cabin..........	No. of Crew..........
Deck..........

List of Ports of call from commencement of voyage with dates of departure............................................................ ............................................................ ..

............................................................ ............................................................ ....................

HEALTH QUESTIONS. Answer Yes or No.

1. Has there been on board during the voyage*any case or suspected case of Plague, Cholera, Yellow Fever, Typhus or Smallpox?

Give particulars in the Schedule............................................................ .

2. Has Plague occurred or been suspected among rats or mice on board during the voyage*or has there been an unusual mortality among them ?............................................................ .................................................

3. Has any person died on board during the voyage* otherwise than as the result of accident ? Give particulars in the Schedule............................................................ .........................................................

4. Is there on board or has there been during the voyage* any case of illness which you suspect to be of an infectious nature ? Give particulars in the Schedule............................................................ ...................................

5. Is there any sick person on board now ? Give particulars in the Schedule............................................................ ...................................

Note.--In the absence of a surgeon, the master should regard the following symptoms as grounds for suspecting the existence of infectious disease :--

fever accompanied by prostration or persisting for several days, on attended with glandular swelling: or any acute skin rash or eruption with or without fever : severe diarrhea with symptoms of collapse ; jaundice accompanied with fever.

6. Are you aware of any other condition on board which may lead to infection or to the spread of infectious disease ?.......................................................

I hereby declare that the particulars and answers to the questions given in this Declaration of Health (including the Schedule) are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed............................................................ ...

Master.

Countersigned....................................................

(Ship's Surgeon).

Date........................................

* If more than six weeks have elapsed since the voyage began, it will suffice to give particulars for the last six weeks.

SCHEDULE TO THE DECLARATION.

PARTICULARS OF EVERY CASE OF ILLNESS OR DEATH OCCURRING ON BOARD.

Name

Class or Rating

Age

Sex

Nationality

Port of Embarkation

Date of embarkation

Nature of illness

Date of its onset

Results of illness*

Disposal of case †

*State whether :--recovered; still ill; died.

†State whether :--still on board; landed at (give name of Port) ; buried at sea.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health this third day of June, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Forty-eight.

(Signed) NOËL C. BROWNE,

Minister for Health.

I consent to the enforcement and execution of the appropriate provisions of these Regulations by officers of customs and excise.

(Signed) P. McGILLIGAN,

Minister for Finance.

Irish Statutory Instruments

S.I. No. 170/1948 -- Infectious Diseases (Shipping) Regulations, 1948