View report page

33
SMALL-POX.
Of the 26 cases set out in Table XVII., 4 only were removed to the Port
Sanitary Hospital, the others occurred on vessels during the voyage, and had
been removed to hospitals before the arrival of the vessel at Gravesend.
In every case very careful disinfection was carried out, both of effects and
of the vessel, and all possible precautions in the way of re-vaccination were
adopted.
Of the 4 cases removed to Denton Hospital, 2 died.
This disease has been very prevalent in Russia and Levantine Ports, and
great care has been necessary in the inspection of alien immigrants from
Russian ports in relation to this disease.
While this disease continues in epidemic form in Russia, this country is of
course exposed to risk of infection by way of the sea ports in constant trade
with that country.
It is satisfactory to note, therefore, that up to the present the precautions
adopted appear to have been sufficient to check any serious introduction of the
disease.
On the 25th February last, I received an intimation that there was a case of
small-pox on the s.s. " Peninsular," of Greenock, official number 93,208,
lying in the Royal Albert Dock. The vessel had been laid up for about six
months. I visited the vessel, and carefully inspected the patient, and found
that the case was not one of small-pox but a severe form of chicken-pox. The
patient was isolated on board until convalescent, and the necessary disinfection
was carried out under the supervision of your officers, and no further cases
occurred.
The s.s. "City of Madrid," of Glasgow, official number 113,965 from
Calcutta, arrived at Gravesend on the 11th March. The vessel left Calcutta
on the 4th February, and a member of the native crew became ill on the 11th
February with fever, headache and backache. The rash of small-pox came
out on the 17th February, when he was immediately isolated, and landed at
Suez on the 24th February. The vessel proceeded on her voyage to London,
and on March 7th, a member of the native crew was taken ill with headache,
fever, and pains in the back. The rash of small-pox came out on the 8th
March, and the patient was landed at Denton Hospital on arrival of the vessel
at Gravesend. The whole of the native crew was token on shore to the hospital,
vaccinated, bathed, and all their effects disinfected. Vaccination was offered
to and performed on most of the European crew. The names and addresses
of the passengers were notified to the Medical Officers of Health for the
districts to which they were proceeding.
This patient had never been vaccinated, and the case was a most severe one
of a confluent type, the patient dying two days after removal to hospital.