commanding officer. In the United States and its territories and possessions, quarantine authority and responsibility is assigned by federal statute to the USPHS for human diseases, the USDA for plant and animal diseases, and the Department of the Interior for wildlife diseases. Local, state, city, and county authority is also recognized by the Navy and must be complied with.
By international agreement, four diseases are quarantinable: cholera, plague, smallpox, and yellow fever.
While emphasis is placed on measures to prevent the spread of quarantinable diseases, the Medical Department is responsible for recom- mending measures to prevent the spread of all communicable diseases both within and among the naval establishments and civilian communities.
By international convention a Certificate of Deratization, or a Certificate of Deratization Exemption is required of vessels entering most foreign ports to avoid detention for fumigation. This certificate must be issued by the USPHS and is valid for 6 months. MDRs of ships proceeding to foreign ports must apply for a certificate before departure. These certificates are obtained by requesting that a rodent inspection be made by a USPHS representative. If rodents are present on inspection, deratization measures are required. After deratization, a Certificate of Deratization will be issued. If no rodents are found, a Certificate of Deratization Exemption will be issued.
Ships proceeding to foreign ports will meet the quarantine requirements issued by proper authority of such port. Upon arrival at a foreign port, local requirements pertaining to quarantine regulations should be checked.
For ships arriving at ports under the control of the United States, routine submission of a Maritime Public Health Declaration as described in SECNAVINST 6210.2 series will be limited to:
International Health and USPHS Quarantine Regulations no longer require ships to use rat guards except when the ship is berthed in a port where plague is endemic or where large rat populations are present. In some CONUS ports, rat guards are required for all naval vessels.
Interstate movement within the United States of etiologic agents and persons with communicable diseases are governed by federal regulations. These regulations are designed to prevent the spread of disease from one state to another and are enforced by the USPHS and state health departments. COs should maintain liaison with the USPHS and regional offices.
No preventive medicine program is complete without consideration of the health hazards presented by improper safety practices and hazardous working conditions.
When heated to specific temperatures, many materials give off very toxic fumes. Lead forms fumes when it is heated or melted. It is primarily a hazard only if it is being welded, melted, cut, or while being sprayed in lead-containing paint. Metal that has been painted with lead-containing paint is also hazardous when it is being cut or welded. Using a proper respirator will generally prevent inhalation of metal fumes.
Selenium is found in many rectifiers that under certain conditions may break down and give off irritating fumes. A proper filter respirator will protect against inhalation. Cadmium-plated objects must not be heated under any circumstances.
Inhalation of beryllium compounds may lead to a chronic, progressive, fatal disease. Use extreme caution when working with metal containing beryllium.
Metal fume fever is a condition caused by inhalation of fumes from zinc, iron, magnesium,