London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1891
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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"The other brother was stated to have gone direct to Shetland. No case
"of small-pox has been known in Shetland for twelve years, and the man
"is now known to be an inhabitant of Skye."
But even this does not complete the story. One of the men, who slept in
the Sailors' Home, Glasgow, went on to Campbeltown on the following day,
and there developed small-pox.
Thus, from Buenos Ayres, infection was conveyed by this vessel to London,
Montreal, Glasgow and Campbeltown.
A simple diagram will tend to make this clear:—
Infection derived from BUENOS AYBES.
| One case removed to Port Sanitary Hospital, 7th May. Re-vaccination refused. | ||||
| Master attacked, 19th May. | 16 men went to Liverpool, not traced. | Laurence Nicholson, to Glasgow, there from 16th May to 12th June, not known to have had small-pox. | Angus Nicholson, to Shetland, ill, not traced. | |
| 4th Engineer, 23rd May. | Apprentice, 26th May, 2nd attack, 15th June | one of these men developed small-pox at Campbeltown. | ||
| Steward (at Montreal), 7th June, Infected by one of above. | 2 cases, 27th May, | 3 cases, 29th May, Glasgow. | 2 cases, 30th May, | |
ENTERIC FEVER.
On the 9th July the steam ship "Taroba," on arrival, sent a patient to the
Seamen's Hospital, where he was found to have enteric fever and reported.
The vessel left Brisbane on the 12th May, the man was taken ill three days
before the ship came in, but was not known to have enteric fever. The fact,
however, of his illness, should have been reported to Her Majesty's Customs
on arrival, and an entry to this effect made in the official log.
Neither of these formalities had been complied with, and information was
therefore given to this effect to both the Board of Trade and Her Majesty's
Customs.
A stronger argument in favour of power of compulsory vaccination of all
persons who have been exposed to the infection of small-pox can hardly be
conceived.