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 1916
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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18
A steward had been landed at Alexandria suffering from Enteric Fever. His
illness had begun subsequently to that of some of his fellow sufferers. I presume his
case was more marked in its earlier stages.
In the following list the dates of commencing illness are those on which complaint was made, and the last day of lysis is set out for comparison in each case : —
| No. Name. | Rating. | Date of Illness. | Date of Normal T. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. S.B. | Seaman | January 22 | February 2'6 |
| 2. P.A. | Cook's Mate | 26 | March 6 |
| 3. W.T. | Steward | February 6 | 2 |
| 4. R.R. | Seaman | 6 | 23 |
| 5. R.W. | Seaman | 8 | February 29 |
| 6. P.T. | Seaman | 10 | March 1 |
| 7. W.A. | Seaman | 10 | 12 |
| 8. W.B. | Steward | 20 | 6 |
| 9. W.D. | Steward | 20 | 1 |
| 10. R.S. | Carpenter | 22 | 6 |
| 11. C.G. | Fireman | 23 | „ 13 |
| 12. J.E. | Fireman | 23 | February 27 |
| 13. A.B. | Fireman | (?) 3 weeks | „ 27 |
| 14. A.G. | Boy | February 28 | - |
The time of infection was evidently spread over about three weeks, from
January 12th to 31st.
The insidious onset in each case and the mild course of the epidemic afforded no
very reliable data.
The movements of the ship were as follows :—Left Port Said, January 13th ; at
Marseilles, January 18th to February 5th; at Alexandria, February 10th to loth ; at
London, February 27th.
Water was taken in at Port Said, and at intervals during the 18 days' stay at
Marseilles—200 tons from a water barge for drinking purposes, and 200 tons from the
quay for washing.
The ratings affected include seamen, firemen and stewards—a general ship infection
which lasted from about January 12th to 31st.
When waters of two qualities are taken from two sources, as was done at Marseilles,
there is a possibility of the error of inadvertently filling a drinking water tank with
washing water : again, the crew may not in use sufficiently discriminate between
" drinking " and " washing " water.
The dates, however, suggest that infection of a drinking water tank or the taking
in of infected water occurred at Port Said, and that this infected water was gradually
replaced at Marseilles.
Action was taken on the probability that the epidemic was one of water tank
infection.
All infected bedding and effects were removed for steam disinfection, the infected
quarters disinfected, and the water tanks emptied and cleansed.