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14
It is interesting here to contrast the treatment of the vessel by the Italian
and French Governments, with that adopted in English ports, since it is
generally accepted that the English method gives ample security from danger
to the public health.
The s.s. "Omrah" arrived on the 28th March from Sydney. On the
13th March a lascar complained of painful swellings under the armpits,
with buboes in each groin. The patient was feverish. The surgeon regarded
the case as suspicious, and at once isolated the patient in a special hospital
which was erected. The patient was landed at Suez, where all effects
were disinfected by the medical authorities. I received information from the
British Consul at Suez that the case was found, on bacteriological examination
not to be Plague. All being well on arrival, the vessel was allowed to proceed
to dock in the usual way.
On April 28th, at 11 a.m., the s.s. "Orizaba," of Liverpool, 93,688, from
Sydney, arrived at Gravesend.
A patient suffering from symptoms suspiciously like those of Plague had
been landed at Suez on the 13th April, and measures of disinfection were
carried out by the Sanitary Authorities there.
On arriving at Naples the vessel was again disinfected, and the vessel
proceeded to London via Plymouth.
On arrival at Gravesend the vessel was boarded by the Medical Officer on
duty, and in view of the suspected case of Plague landed at Suez, a thorough
examination was made of persons on board, including one patient who was
ill suffering from Pneumonia. All on board were found free from symptoms
of Plague, and were allowed to land after furnishing their names and addresses.
The remaining cases present no points of special interest.
Suspected Plague in London.
On the evening of the 24th December last, information was received from
the Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich, that two Chinese natives had died there
from a form of Septic or Broncho-Pneumonia.
These men had been admitted from a Chinese lodging-house in Stepney.
The medical men in attendance were suspicious, having regard to the rapidly
fatal character of the cases, and from the fact that they had occurred in two
persons from the same house, and closely followed one another, that the cases
might on further investigation prove to be Plague. Before the men died, one
was understood to say he came from the s.s. "Dundas," and the other from
the s.s. " Hasleden." Neither of the men could speak English.