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The facts were as follows:—The s.s. "Ninian Stuart" arrived at Gravesend
from Huelva on the 6th May last, and was visited by an officer of H.M.
Customs, accompanied by one of the Assistant Medical Officers of the Port of
London Sanitary Authority.
In reply to the usual questions put by the Customs Officer, the Master stated
that all were well on board, and there had been no sickness or death during
the voyage.
Huelva was not a port infected with Plague, Yellow Fever, or Cholera, so
the vessel was not boarded by the Assistant Medical Officer on duty at
Gravesend. Moreover, it was not known that Small-pox existed in that port,
and as the answers of the Master to the questions proved satisfactory, the
vessel was allowed to proceed to her berth.
Subsequent enquiry showed that, on the 3rd May, one of the crew had
complained to the Master of being unwell, but the Master was unable to find
anything the matter with him. This man left the ship on arrival in London,
where he was paid off, and proceeded to Newcastle, so that he could not have
felt really ill.
Up to this time the appearance of the man had not caused any suspicion in
the minds of those who had seen him that he was suffering from any infectious
disease.
He duly arrived in Newcastle, and on the 10th May was removed
from his residence to hospital suffering from Small-pox.
The facts were laid before the City Solicitor, who, in the absence of any
evidence that the Master knew that the man was suffering from an infectious
disorder, was not satisfied that there had been any breach of the bye-laws, and
therefore did not advise a prosecution.
This case simply serves to illustrate the difficulty that exists in dealing
with imported Small-pox. It is one that arises from time to time, and is one
for which, at present, there is apparently no practical remedy.
The detention of every vessel arriving from a foreign port, and the
detailed medical inspection of every person on board, is not, at present,
within the power of Port Sanitary Authorities in this country.
The powers of the Port of London Sanitary Authority are practically the
same as those existing in the port of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and it would have
been more discreet had the Authorities of Newcastle-on-Tyne enquired as to
the practice pursued in their own port, before alleging neglect of duty on the
part of the officer of the Port of London Sanitary Authority.
The facts as above were communicated to the Local Government Board, and
the incident ended there.