bill of health
Quick Summary
A "bill of health" is a document that historically provided information about the health status of a ship's crew and the port from which it departed, particularly concerning infectious diseases. This certificate was given to the ship's master when leaving port. A "clean bill of health" indicated a favorable health status, while a "foul bill of health" signified that an epidemic was present at the port of departure when the ship left. The term is also used figuratively to describe a generally positive assessment or report following an examination or investigation.12
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