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 1918
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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13
TABLE V.
Small-pox.
| Date. | Name of Vessel. Port of Registry, and Official No. | Where from. | No. of Cases. | How dealt with. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1918. | ||||
| Feb. 15 | s.s. "Atreus," of Liverpool, 131,322 | Shanghai | 1 | Landed at Manila. |
| April 9 | s.s. "Culna," of Glasgow, 124,164 | Karachi | 2 | 1 landed at Karachi. 1 removed to Port Sanitary Hospital. |
| May 7 | s.s. "City of Glasgow," of Glasgow, 121,304 | Calcutta | 6 | Removed at Rangoon and Suez. |
| „ 7 | s.s. " Nevasa," of Glasgow | Bombay | 2 | Landed at Aden. |
| „ 7 | s.s. " Katuna," of London | Rangoon | 1 | Landed at Colombo. |
| „ 9 | s.s. " Delta," of Belfast - | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Suez. |
| „ 10 | s.s. "Cawdor Castle," of London, 114,823 | Bombay | 2 | Landed at Bombay. |
| „ 19 | s.s. "Somali,'' of Greenock, 114,056 | Bombay | 1 | Landed at Suez. |
| 16 | ||||
s.s. "Culna" arrived on 4th April. It was declared that all on board were well
and that no sickness had occurred during the voyage. On the 6th April a case of
Varioloid Small-pox was found on board, and it transpired that the man had been
suffering from a " cold " when the ship passed Gravesend.
It was also ascertained that a native suffering from Small-pox had been landed at
Karachi on 22nd February, Karachi being the port of lading.
The duty of declaring every case of illness, however mild in appearance, on
entering the River Thames was represented by your Medical Officer to the Company
concerned.
The incident, however, suggests that reasonable vigilance in the completest of
systems cannot prevent the introduction of Small-pox in its incubatory or in its early
stages before the appearance of a rash.
The incidence of Small-pox on six ships arriving in the month of May, in
conjunction with the case of s.s. " Culna," suggested possible danger to Customs
officers who come into early and close contact with native crews on arriving ships.
The question of advisability of re-vaccination of these officers was accordingly brought
to the notice of the Inspector-General of the Waterguard.