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A fortnight later thirteen cases were removed to Denton Hospital from another
ship in order to facilitate movements of the ship and to bring the patients under
curative treatment at the earliest possible moment. Nineteen cases had occurred on
this vessel.
On the 25th October another vessel was found to have thirty-five cases on board.
On the arrival of the second vessel on which Malaria was noticed to be present in
epidemic and malignant form, your Medical Officer communicated the facts to the
Medical Officer of the Local Government Board, in case the matter of Malignant Tertian
Malaria acquired at Dakar had not yet been considered in connection with administration
at that port. It was suggested that the Steamship Companies using the Port of Dakar
should be informed of preventive and curative measures, and the attached letter
embodying those more simple of application on shipboard was sent in accordance with
that suggestion :—
Copy of Circular Letter addressed to Owners of Vessels which
may be calling at the PoRT of dakar.
30th October, 1917.
Gentlemen,—I would call your attention to the following matter of urgency,
and ask you to direct the Masters of your vessels in mitigating or preventing
serious illness among ship's crews and embarrassment of shipping movements.
Dakar Port is infested with mosquitos which convey Malaria. The illness
is being freely communicated to the crews of ships which call or lie in the port.
The path of infection is through mosquito bites only.
The precautions which, if duly carried out, are effective against infection
are as follows :—
(1) While the ship is lying in the Port of Dakar, every member of
the crew should take a daily dose of five grains of either the sulphate,
bisulphate or bihydrochloride of quinine just before sundown, and
preferably at a meal time. If the convenient tabloid form of drug be used,
the tabloid should be cracked up before being taken. The drug is both
preventive and curative ; an ample stock should be provided on ships
using Dakar Port.
(2) The crew should not be allowed to remain or be ashore between
dusk and sunrise, this being the biting period of the mosquito conveying
the disease.
(3) Mosquito netting should be used over all apertures to sleeping
quarters and securely closed at dusk.
In cases of onset of headache or chills seven to ten days after arrival at the port,
five grains of quinine should be administered four times daily until the tenth day
after the fever has disappeared. Thereafter the continuance of small daily doses
of quinine over three months are necessary to effect a complete cure.
Your obedient Servant,
(Signed) W. M. WILLOUGHBY,
Medical Officer of Health, Port of London.
Many shipowners replied that they were taking the matter up forthwith.