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9
On the 5th February, the s.s. " Irrawaddy " reported a case taken ill the
day after leaving Rangoon, and landed at Colombo four days later with all
effects, the cabins being at once fumigated.
Four other vessels "Thames," "Ganges,'' "Oroya," and "Chusan" also
reported having had single cases of this disease on their homeward voyage.
In each instance the patient was immediately isolated and landed at the
first opportunity with all bedding and clothing, and fumigation carried out.
On all these vessels this prompt action was happily successful in preventing
any spread of the infection.
The s.s. "Capella," which left Calcutta on 2nd March, had a patient attacked
with small-pox on 7th April. On arrival at Portland, he was taken to hospital
on shore and the vessel fumigated by the Port Sanitary Authority.
Re-vaccination was offered gratuitously to the crew, but all refused to
submit thereto.
TRAINING SHIPS.
The general condition of the training ships has been good.
It is scarcely possible to conceive that vessels moored in a foul sewagepolluted
river like the Thames can be healthy and proper habitations for a
large number of young boys, and it certainly reflects very favourably on the
management of these institutions that, in spite of this great drawback, the
health of their inmates should have been so well preserved.
There have been but few cases of infectious disease.
Two isolated cases of diphtheria occurred on the " Arethusa," off Greenhithe,
one on 19th March, and one on 19th April. These were treated on shore
in the hut, which serves as an isolation hospital.
The Medical Officer of the ship, in the absence of any definite cause, is
inclined to attribute these cases to the general unhealthy condition of the
river, and there would appear to your Medical Officer only too good reason to
share in this belief.
On the 18th February, one of the boys on the training ship "Cornwall"
was attacked with scarlet fever.
He was immediately removed to the ship's isolation hospital on shore, and
every precaution taken to prevent the spread of infection.
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