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Simple English definitions for legal terms
bill of health
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A quick definition of bill of health:
A bill of health is a document that proves a ship's cargo and crew are healthy and free from contagious or infectious diseases. It is issued by the port authority where the ship departs and shown to the port authority at the ship's destination. A "clean" bill means there were no diseases present, while a "touched" or "foul" bill means a disease was suspected, anticipated, or actually present.
A more thorough explanation:
A bill of health is a document that certifies the healthy condition of a ship's cargo and crew. It is issued by the port authority from which a vessel sails and is shown to the port authority at the ship's destination as proof that the ship's cargo and crew are disease-free.
A "clean" bill of health states that no contagious or infectious diseases were present at the port. On the other hand, a "touched" or "foul" bill of health states that the named disease was suspected, anticipated, or actually present.
For example, if a ship is leaving a port and the port authority determines that there are no contagious or infectious diseases present, they will issue a clean bill of health. This document will then be shown to the port authority at the ship's destination to prove that the cargo and crew are disease-free.
On the other hand, if a ship is leaving a port and there is a suspected or anticipated disease present, the port authority will issue a touched or foul bill of health. This document will also be shown to the port authority at the ship's destination to inform them of the potential risk of disease.