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21
SMALL-POX.
There has been no epidemic of this disease in London during 1903. The
total number of cases reported on vessels was thirteen. Eleven of these were
admitted to the Port Sanitary Hospital at Denton.
On 13th January a notification was received that there was a case of Smallpox
on board the s.s. "Lady Martin," which was on the point of sailing for
Dublin, The vessel was visited by your Medical Officer, who confirmed the
diagnosis, and the vessel was stopped at Gravesend on the way down.
The patient was landed with his effects, and the crew's effects and quarters
were thoroughly disinfected.
Vaccination was offered to every person on board, but only accepted in the
case of three persons. The vaccination was carried out by your Medical
Officer. As the vessel was to call at several ports along the coast on her way
to Dublin, the facts were notified at once to the various Medical Officers of
Health at the ports to be touched at by the vessel on her way to Dublin.
The s.s. " Beatrice " arrived at Gravesend on the 12th March, having left
Bombay on the 6th February. A case of suspected Small-pox was landed
at Port Said on the 22nd February, and on arrival at Gravesend three cases
were reported, and in the course of medical inspection one of the stewards
was found suffering from a very mild attack of the complaint. All these
men were removed to the Hospital, where one man has since died.
The s.s. "Caledonia," of Greenock, arrived at Gravesend from Bombay on
the 27th March, and landed a case of Small-pox at the Hospital. The patient,
a native, was taken ill on the 21st March. The vessel and effects were
thoroughly disinfected by your Officers.
The remainder of the cases will be found in Appendix A.
ENTERIC FEVER.
In all, 88 cases of this disease have been reported during the year, whilst
55 cases have been treated in the Port Sanitary Hospital at Denton. The
remarkable incident of the conveyance of this disease from the field of
military operations in South Africa to a training ship in the Port of London,
and generally to the country, is of such interest that I relate the circumstances
here at length.
On April 5th I received a notification that two cases of Enteric Fever had
occurred on the training ship "Cornwall," and on April 9th a further two
cases were notified.