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 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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TABLE X. (Yellow Fever.)
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry, and Official Number. | Where From. | No. of cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913. Aug. 18 | s.s. " Hydra," of Glasgow, 115,131 | Manaos | 4 | 3 died and were landed at Manaos, and 1 recovered. |
TABLE XI. Plague (suspected).
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry and Official No. | Where from. | No. of Cases. | How dealt with. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913. May 19 | Greenock, | Sydney | 1 | Died and body buried at sea. | |
| June 14 | s.s. "Gloucestershire," pool, 131,296. | of Liver- | Rangoon | 1 | Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| July 19 | s.s. "India," of 105,572. | Greenock, | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Marseilles. |
| Aug. 12 | Liverpool, | Rangoon | 1 | Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. | |
| 4 | |||||
PLAGUE.
On arrival of the s.s. "Mongolia," of Greenock, 117,383, at Gravesend on the
17th May, it was ascertained that a case of Plague had occurred on board. The
patient, a Genoese baker, was taken ill on the 1st May with rigors, and a bubo
appeared in the neck. A second bubo appeared in left armpit. The patient died on
the 4th May, and the body was buried at sea the same day. The hospital where patient
was isolated from the start of his disease was thoroughly disinfected, and also the native
crew and effects at Suez and Marseilles. Medical inspection was done at Plymouth,
and also on board before arrival in London. No further cases occurred. No disease or
mortality amongst the rats on board was observed. On arrival at Gravesend all on
board were found to be in good health, and the vessel was allowed to proceed to Tilbury
Dock, where the ship was fumigated with Sulphur Di-oxide gas to destroy all the rats
and insects on board. The patient embarked on the s.s. " Salzette " at Bombay, was
transferred to the s.s. "Mongolia" at Aden, and developed the disease within 24 hours
of his transferment.
In my opinion he contracted the disease at Bombay before sailing thence.
The s.s. "Gloucestershire," of Liverpool, 131,296, arrived at Gravesend on the
14th .June from Rangoon.
A native fireman was found suffering with enlarged glands in the neck—
temperature 101 degrees—and was removed to Denton Hospital with all effects.
The vessel and effects were thoroughly disinfected, and the names and
addresses of all passengers and persons leaving the vessel were notified to the
respective Medical Officers of Health.