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 1915
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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| Date. | Name of Vessel, Port of Registry, and Official Number. | Where from. | No. of Cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915. | Brought | forward | 32 | |
| April 2 | s.s. "City of London," of Glasgow, 124,162. | Calcutta | 2 | Landed at Colombo. |
| ,, 17 | s.s. "Malakand," of Liverpool, 120,907. | Ditto | 1 | Landed at Suez. |
| ,, 21 | s.s. "City of Durham," of Liverpool, 131,317. | Singapore | 1 | Landed at Singapore. |
| s.s. "Clan Cumming," of Glasgow, 108,797. | Coconada | 1 | Landed at Galle. | |
| May 10 | s.s. "Werdenfels" (German Prize) | Alexandria | 1 | Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| ,, 28 | s.s. "City of York," of Glasgow, 119,100. | Calcutta | 1 | Landed at Colombo. |
| ,, 31 | s.s. "Novara," of Greenock, 131,860. | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Karachi. |
| June 9 | s.s. " Khiva," of Liverpool, 135,533. | Calcutta | 1 | Landed at Aden. |
| ,, 9 | s.s. '• Huntsman," of Liverpool, 118,103. | Ditto | 1 | Landed at Suez. |
| ,, 9 | s.s. " HeleDUS," of Liverpool, 135,519. | Yokohama | 1 | Landed at Colombo. |
| ,, 17 | s.s. "Wartenfels" (Prize Vessel) | Calcutta | 1 | Ditto. |
| July 6 | s.s. " Arabia," of Greenock, 105,587. | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Port Said. |
| ,, 20 | s.s. " Tagus," of Liverpool, 109,483. | Oporto | 1 | Removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| Sept. 23 | s.s. " Pallas " (Russian) | Gandia | 1 | Ditto. |
| Total | 47 |
SMALL-POX.
It would appear from Table III. that the number of cases of Small-pox dealt with
was larger than usual, the number of cases reported being more than double the
average.
The number is, however, inflated by 20 cases reported in one vessel, these having
occurred amongst pilgrims in Chinese waters. None arrived in this country.
On the other hand a group of cases, seven in number, derived from Egypt, were
admitted to Denton Hospital, and these cases, which came under direct observation
of both your past and present Medical Officers, were instructive in a general as well as
a medical sense, and I have dealt with the group at some length.
The s.s. "Eumaeus," of Liverpool, 135,485, arrived on the 27th January, from
Shanghai, when it was ascertained that, between the 9th and 20th November, 1914,
there were 20 cases of Small-pox amongst Pilgrims on board, 5 of which proved fatal.
The Pilgrims went ashore into quarantine at Penang, on the 20th November, 1914.
The ship was disinfected, and the health of the crew was good during the remainder of
the voyage.
The s.s. "City of Marseilles," of Liverpool, 135,436, arrived at Gravesend on the
6th February. The vessel originally came from Calcutta, but at Port Said there
embarked 10 passengers, consisting of a man, his wife, a lady companion, and seven
children, who came from Jerusalem some weeks previously but had been staying in
Egypt, and they joined the vessel at Port Said on the 25th January. One of the
children was taken ill on the 27th January, and the father states that a rash appeared
on the 29th, but apparently no complaint was made to the doctor on board, until the 31st,
when the child was found to have a general confluent rash which was diagnosed as
Small-pox. There were 12 other passengers in the second-class when the nature of
the disease was recognised. The second-class accommodation was reserved for the
isolation of the aforesaid 10 persons, with four stewards. On arrival at Gravesend,