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 1905
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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34
of the year, however, the disease so diminished that notwithstanding the high
record obtained in the first half of the year, the total for the twelve months
probably falls below the total for the year 1904.
It is also probable that the total number of deaths in India from this disease
during the year will be found, when the returns are published, to be not less
than 1,000,000.
This number was largely exceeded in the previous year.
In addition to India, Plague has been also prevalent in Persia, Turkey in
Asia, Southern Asiatic Russia, China and the Philippine Islands. In Africa,
Algeria, Egypt, Mosambique, Zanzibar, South Africa and Mauritius.
In South America, Peru, Brazil and Chili, and in Queensland in Australia.
Imported cases have also been reported at Hamburg, and a small outbreak
at Leith. Four actual cases were landed at foreign ports from vessels which
subsequently arrived in the Port of London, whilst three suspected cases were
landed at the Port Sanitary Hospital at Denton. Bacterioscopic examination
was made in each case by Professor Klein, F.R.S., but in each instance the
results were of a negative character.
TABLE VI.
(Plague.)
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry and Official Number. | Where from. | Number of Cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1905. Jan. 19 | s.s. " City of Agra," of Liverpool, 118,053. | Calcutta | 1 | Removed to Hospital at Suez. |
| Mar. 10 | s.s. " Clan Leslie," of Glasgow, 115,697. | Bombay | 1 | Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| May 23 | s.s. " Warwickshire," of Liverpool, 115,258. | Rangoon | 1 | Ditto. |
| June 18 | s.s. " Arabia," of Greenock, 105,587. | Bombay | 1 | Removed to Hospital at Suez. |
| Aug. 8 | s.s. " Mombassa," of Glasgow, 96,082. | Calcutta | 1 | Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| Oct. 3O | s.s. " Dalmatia," of Glasgow, 99,791. | Do. | 1 | Removed to Hospital at Port Said. |
| Nov. 24 | s.s. " Banca," of Sunderland, 109,708. | Sebu - | 2 | Removed to Hospital at Sebu. |
| Total - | 8 |
On 13th May the daily newspapers contained a notice that four persons had
been attacked with Plague at Leith. This information was confirmed by the
Local Government Board ; accordingly Leith was declared an "infected" port,