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17
The s.s. "Clan Macaulay,'' of Glasgow, official number 108,800, from
Vizagapatam, arrived at Gravesend on the 10th April, when a native fireman
was removed to the Port Sanitary Hospital with symptoms suspicious of
Plague.
The crew's effects and the ship were thoroughly disinfected, and some
material from the bubo of the patient was forwarded to the Local Government
Board for bacterioscopic examination. The result of the examination was
negative as regards Plague, and the patient has since left the Hospital convalescent.
On September 7th, while the s.s. "Swaledale," of Sunderland, Official
number 114,644, was loading cargo, outward bound, in the Royal Victoria
Dock, one of the engineers attended at the surgery of a local medical
practitioner complaining of swellings in the groin. No apparent cause fortius
was found, and being feverish, he was sent to the Branch Seamen's
Hospital in the Royal Albert Dock.
Subsequently, on clearing out the cabin occupied by him, a dead rat was
found behind the wainscoting.
In view of the possible transmission of Plague by means of rats and their
parasites, this was deemed to be suspicious. I accordingly visited the Branch
Seaman's Hospital, and, through the courtesy of the House Surgeon, saw the
patient, and we arrived at the opinion that the man was not suffering from
Plague, both on clinical and bacteriological evidence.
The facts were, however, reported to the Local Government Board for their
information.
The s.s. "Cheshire," of Liverpool, 99,310, arrived at Gravesend on
November 9th. The vessel left Rangoon on October 9th, all the crew being
medically inspected before embarkation, and their clothing disinfected.
On October 22nd, a Lascar complained and was found to have a bubo in
his right groin. This was accompanied by fever, and on arrival at Suez on
October 27th, he was landed and taken to hospital, where the diagnosis was
made that the man was suffering from Plague.
In order to avoid detention at Marseilles, a usual port of call, the master
decided to bring the vessel straight on to London.
No case of Plague having occurred within eight days of the vessel's arrival
at Gravesend, the vessel was treated as "suspected" only, and on arrival all
persons on board were medically inspected and found to be in good health.
The names and addresses of all passengers were taken.
There did not appear to have been any mortality amongst the rats, and
there was no evidence that any disease existed amongst these animals, or that
the patient contracted his disease from them.