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On the 14th February, the third officer ailed with feverish symptoms
and a pain in the chest, and was at once isolated in his cabin. He was
attended by a doctor, who promptly sent him to the Seamen's Hospital
at Greenwich, informing me by telephone. Bearing in mind the history of
the ship, I at once acquainted the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital
with the facts, and on the patient's arrival at the Hospital he was at once
placed in a room by himself, where I examined him in consultation with the
Medical Superintendent. It was not possible at that early stage of the disease to
certify definitely that the patient was suffering from Small-pox, and he was
eccordingly isolated, but on seeing him next morning I definitely diagnosed
Small-pox. The patient was taken in an ambulance to the South Wharf
Shelter of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and thence despatched by launch
to Denton Hospital.
No further cases occurred on board. The majority of the crew having
been paid off, their names and addresses were notified to the Medical Officers
of Health of the districts concerned.
The first patient was isolated in a tent on the after part of the ship, and the
two other cases were infected from him probably in the following manner:
the Engineer had to visit daily the shaft tunnel from which a ventilator
opened on to the deck close to the tent, the third officer had to examine the
log daily at noon and had to pass close to the tent, and thus each officer was
daily exposed to the risk of infection.
The s.s. "Rohilla," of Glasgow, official number 124,149, from Calcutta,
arrived at Gravesend on the 4th March. The vessel left Calcutta on the 26th
January. On 28th March a lady passenger, and on the 30th one of the native
crew, a sculleryman, were taken ill with Small-pox. Both the cases were
landed at Madras on the 30th January with all effects. The vessel was fumigated
there and the crew vaccinated.
The s.s. "Clan Ranald," of Glasgow, official number 111,290, from
Calcutta, arrived at Gravesend on the 16th March. One of the native crew
ailed five days after leaving Calcutta, and the rash of Small-pox came out
subsequently. He was landed at Perim on the 24th February. The chief
officer assisted to carry him on shore there, and fifteen days later the chief
officer developed the rash of Small-pox, and on the arrival of the vessel at
Gravesend he was landed at Denton Hospital with all effects. He had only
been vaccinated in infancy and showed only one faint mark. The crew were
kept under observation during the stay of the vessel in this port, and the
vessel sailed on 20th March for Dunkirk.
The s.s. "Pomeranian," of Glasgow, official number 85,193, from Halifax,
N.S., arrived at Gravesend on the 20th March. The history of the vessel is
as follows: Left London 8th February, and Havre on 9th February. One