'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎145r] (294/470)

I foresee that the treatment accorded to all passengers on arrival will not differ
much from that undertaken on the arrival at Kamaran of pilgrim ships destined
for the Hijaz.
The future Civil Health Service of the City of Basrah may permit of some
mitigation of the severity of the quarantine measures which may be adopted,
especially in the case of first and second class passengers on ordinary infected ships
arriving. It may be found possible to substitute surveillance for observation.
In the case of ordinary deck passengers and of pilgrims, I do not see that the
system of surveillance adopted in Western ports can be applied with any hope of
success. This is especially true in the case of the latter class.
If a distinction is to be made between ordinary and pilgrim ships in the future,
special regulations will have to be framed with regard to them. In the Hijaz the
position is very much simpler than it is in these regions. Most of the ships sail from
Indian ports as pilgrim ships, but in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ports it is evident that, owing
to the class of passengers who ordinarily travel for business reasons or for labour
purposes being more or less recruited from among the same social grade as the
pilgrim class, it is somewhat easy for the latter to mingle with the former and travel
on ordinary ships as ordinary passengers.
The possibility of sea-going native craft carrying pilgrims to the Shatt-al-Arab
from Persian ports is also a problem to be entertained. In the river it is possible for
them to transfer to balams, by which means examination may be avoided.
All these considerations incline me to submit the following proposals :—
(i) That a civil port sanitary authority be constituted in Basrah on a peace-time
basis.
(ii) That regulations be framed in detail for the administration of the Depart
ment in conformity with the International Sanitary Convention of 1912, especially
articles 21 to 35 inclusive, 54, and 83 to 126 inclusive.
(iii) That regulations for the sanitary control of river steamers and native
sailing craft be framed, especially with regard to sea-going native craft entering the
river from ports in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
(iv) That a permanent quarantine station with accommodation for 1,000
persons, with all sanitary requirements, disinfectors, &c., be erected.
(v) That a pure water supply be provided in the port for the use of shipping.
Rules for the purpose of facilitating the operations of the (Indian) Pilgrim
Ships Act (XIV. of 1895), as amended by Article 3 of King’s Regulations, No. 1, dated
16th July 1912, have been made by His Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General for
Pars, Khuzistan, &c., and published for general information. These are intended to
apply to pilgrims from the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. destined for the Hijaz, and may be adopted
as operative with regard to this port, if approved by the Civil Government of
Mesopotamia.
I submit the above proposals for your consideration. The actual details for
the reorganisation of the port Sanitary Department on a peace-time basis depend
on the decisions which may be made by the Civil Government of Mesopotamia with
regard to the wider aspects of the question. These I have attempted to outline
within the scope of this report.
(18) Acknowledgements .—The various departments connected with the admini
stration of the port, viz., the Port and Sea Transport Directorates, including the
Director of Port Traffic, the Port Officer, the Director of Sea Transport, and their
officers, have fully co-operated with the Officers of the Port Health Department
during the year.
I' especially desire to acknowledge the assistance of the Harbour Masters in
facilitating the work of the Boarding Medical Officers in the performance of their
examining duties on the river.
J. Mackenzie, Captain, R.A.M.C. (S.R.),
Port Health Officer, Basrah.
{Subsidiary Report.)
(19) Mahaulah Wharf .—The sanitation of Messrs. Gray, Mackenzie & Co.’s
camp for Persian labour at Mahaulah Wharf has been undertaken by this Department
during the year.
It is satisfactory to state that good progress has been made. Huts have been
erected, latrines built, and a pure water supply provided.