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The only regulation which the sanitary authorities at a port of arrival may prescribe 

 for them consists of the following measures: 



1. Medical visit (inspection). 



2. Disinfection of soiled linen, articles of wearing apparel, and the other personal 

 effects of the crew and passengers, but only in exceptional cases when the sanitary 

 authorities have special reason to believe them infected. 



3. Without demanding it as a general rule, the sanitary authorities may subject 

 ships coming from an infected port to a process for the destruction of the rats on board 

 before or after the discharge of cargo. This operation should be done as soon as possible, 

 and in all cases should not last more than twenty- four hours, care being taken to avoid 

 damaging merchandise, ships, and their machinery, and without interfering with 

 the passing of passengers and crew between the ship and the shore. For ships in ballast 

 this procedure, if practiced, should be put in operation as soon as possible, and in all 

 cases before taking on cargo. 



When a ship coming from an infected port has been subjected to a process for the 

 destruction of rats, this process should only be repeated if the ship has touched mean- 

 while at an infected port, and has been alongside a quay in such port, or if the presence 

 of sick or dead rats on board is proven. 



The crew and passengers may be subjected to a surveillance, which should not 

 exceed five days, to be computed from the date when the ship sailed from the infected 

 port. The landing of the crew may also, during the same time, be forbidden except 

 for reasons of duty. 



Competent authority at the port of arrival may always demand, under oath, a 

 certificate of the ship's physician, or in default of a physician, of the captain, set- 

 ting forth that there has not been a case of plague on board since departure, and that 

 no marked mortality among the rats has been observed. 



ART. XXIV. When upon an indemne ship rats have been recognized as pest stricken 

 as a result of bacteriological examination, or when a marked mortality has been es- 

 tablished among these rodents, the following measures should be applied: 



1. Ships with plague-stricken rats: 

 (a) Medical visit (inspection). 



(&) Rats should be destroyed before or after the discharge of cargo, as rapidly as 

 possible, and in all cases with a delay not to exceed forty-eight hours; the deterioration 

 of merchandise, vessels, and machinery to be avoided. Upon ships in ballast, this 

 operation should be performed as soon as possible, and in all cases before taking on 

 cargo. 



(c) Such parts of the ship and such articles as the local sanitary authority regards 

 as infected, shall be disinfected. 



(d) Passengers and crew may be submitted to observation, the duration of which 

 should not exceed five days, dating from the day of arrival, except in special cases, 

 where the sanitary authority may prolong the observation to a maximum of ten days. 



2. Ships where a marked mortality among rats is observed: 

 (a) Medical visit (inspection). 



(6) An examination of rats, with a view to determining the existence of plague, 

 should be made as quickly as possible. 



(c) If the destruction of rats is judged necessary, it shall be accomplished under 

 the conditions indicated above in the case of ships with plague-stricken rats. 



(d) Until all suspicion may be eliminated, the passengers and crew may be sub- 

 mitted to observation, the duration of which should not exceed five days, counting 

 from the date of arrival, except in special cases, when the sanitary authority may 

 prolong the observation to a maximum of ten days. 



ART. XXV. The sanitary authorities of the port must deliver to the captain, the 

 owner, or his agent, whenever a demand for it is made, a certificate setting forth 

 that the measures for the destruction of rats have been efficacious and indicating the 

 reasons why these measures have been applied. 

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