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Cases of Yellow Fever also occurred in the Republic of Columbia, Dutch
and British Guiana, Ecuador, Mexico, and Venezuela.
Several cases were recorded in the Island of Barbados, Trinidad, Port of
Spain, Martinique and Cuba.
A few cases occurred on board a vessel on a voyage from Brazil to
Portugal, two cases being landed at Lisbon for treatment.
PLAGUE.
The Regulations of the Local Government Board issued in September,
1907, prescribe the procedure to be followed with a view to preventing the
transmission of plague by rats on board ship—e.g., rats are in all cases to be
destroyed when the ship is infected with plague, or when rats in the ship are
infected with that disease ; but in the case of a " suspected " ship (that is a
ship that has had a case of plague on board during the voyage, but not
within a period of seven days) the destruction of rats is not obligatory, except
where the Medical Officer of Health requires it to be followed—the expense
of such destruction is to be borne by the Master of the vessel.
Where the ship is not "infected" or "suspected," but has come from, or
has during the voyage called at a port infected with plague, the Medical
Officer of Health, if satisfied that measures for the destruction of rats in the
ship are necessary and certifies accordingly, may destroy the rats, but the
cost will then be borne by the Sanitary Authority.
The Port Sanitary Committee carefully considered their responsibility
under these Regulations, and decided that it was the duty of this Authority
to be provided with a suitable plant for destroying rats on board vessels in
case of necessity, and they purchased a fumigating machine of an approved
type, and fitted it on a barge which can be towed wherever it may be
necessary to apply these measures. This barge, " Thomas," lies at the
moorings at East Greenwich with a supply of fuel, sulphur, and water on
board, and can be ready for use at three hours' notice.
It was realised that even if the fumigating plant were never used, it was
undesirable that a port of the size of London should not possess all the
machinery for carrying out the Regulations in the interests not only of
public health but also of the shipping trade.
The Commonwealth of Australia passed a Quarantine Act in 1908, which,
inter alia, gave the Governor-General power to make regulations for
prescribing the measures to be taken by the masters or owners of vessels to
destroy rats, mice, and other vermin on their vessels. Regulations have been
made accordingly under date of July 5th, 1909.