London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Port of London 1914
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
This page requires JavaScript
Continued from previous page...
| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry, and Official Number. | Where from. | No. of Cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914. | Brought forward | 20 | ||
| August 5 | Training Ship "Exmouth," lying off Grays | 2 | Removed to North Eastern (M.A.B.) Hospital. | |
| „ 13 | Ditto Do. | 3 | Ditto. | |
| Sept. 20 | s.s. "Guildford Castle," of London, 132,611. | Durban | 2 | Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| October 21 | No. 2, Dock Cottages, Mary Ann Place, | Shadwell | 1 | Removed to Joyce Green (M.A.B.) Hospital. |
| Nov. 10 | s.s. "Otway," of Glasgow, 128,282 | Brisbane | 1 | Landed at Melbourne. |
| „ 21 | No. 2, Dock Cottages, Mary Ann Place, | Shadwell | 1 | Removed to South Eastern (M.A.B.) Hospital. |
| Total | 30 | |||
SCARLET FEVER.
On the 26th April, 1914, I received a notification that a member of the crew of the
s.s. "Portinglis," of West Hartlepool, 127,436, was suffering from Scarlet Fever.
This vessel arrived from Antwerp on the 24th April, bound for the Surrey
Commercial Dock. On the 26th April, the patient visited a doctor on account of a sore
throat, was told that he had fever, but did not understand it was Scarlet Fever. Rash
appeared on the 27th April.
On the morning of the 27th April, the patient went to Mark Lane by train. On
his return, he was confined to his room and was subsequently removed to Denton
Hospital.
He stated that he was not told that he was suffering from Scarlet Fever, and
therefore, did not adopt any precautions.
I communicated with the doctor who signed the notification certificate, and received
a reply from him as follows:—
"30th April, 1914.
" Dear Sir,
"s.s. 'Portinglis.'
"When the patient, J. A., called on me on the 26th inst. I told him he
was suffering from Scarlatina.
"Faithfully yours,
"H. L. A."
The patient must of necessity, while suffering from Scarlet Fever, have been a
source of risk to persons with whom he was in contact, and this is an illustration of
the way in which Scarlet Fever may spread.