law: Indian Ports Act, 1908
  17. Appointment and powers of health-officer 
  (1) The 2[Government] may appoint at any port subject
  
  to this Act an officer to be called the health-officer.
  (2) A health-officer shall, subject to the control of the 2[Government],
  
  have the following powers, within the limits of the port for which he is
  
  appointed, namely
  (a) with respect to any vessel, the powers
  
  conferred on a shipping-master by the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 185926
  
  (1of 1859), section 71;
  (b) power to enter on board any vessel and
  
  medically examine all or any of the seaman or apprentices on board the vessel;
  (c) power to require and enforce the
  
  production of the log-book and any other books, papers or documents which he
  
  thinks necessary for the purpose of enquiring into the health and medical
  
  condition of the persons on board the vessel;
  (d) power to call before him and question for
  
  any such purpose all or any of those persons and to require true answers to any
  
  questions which he thinks fit to ask
  (e) power to require any person so questioned
  
  to make and subscribe a declaration of the truth of the statements made by him.