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9
The s.s. "Malta," of Greenock, arrived from Wellington on the 17th May,
1919.
On the 25th March a native fireman was taken ill. Symptoms—backache, pains
in legs, Fever. He was sent to hospital at Bombay on the 27th March; subsequently
diagnosed as Bubonic Plague.
All the native crew were discharged at Bombay on the 26th March. The
European crew were removed to another ship, cargo was discharged, and whole vessel
disinfected with sulphur dioxide (Clayton apparatus) and kept closed up for three
days. A new crew was shipped 16th April.
On the third examination of dead rats found at Bombay the B, Pestis was
obtained.
The patient was still alive when the vessel sailed from Bombay.
The interest of this infection lies in the possibility that the rat infection on the
ship started at Bombay, and was carried to and from Wellington on the ship, though
the disease only broke out amongst the ship's complement on arrival of the ship
again in Bombay.
Your Medical Officer has observed that the Pestis infection sometimes remains
thus dormant on ships, preceding disturbance of the cargo or other interference with
infected holds.
The s.s, "City of Exeter" arrived at Gravesend from Sydney on the 3rd June,
1919.
The vessel arrived at Bombay on the 25th April, 1919. On the 30th a man was
reported sick with Femoral Bubo. He was taken ashore and died on 2nd May. No
sick or dead rats were found, and no other cases occurred. The vessel was moored
in the stream at Bombay, and did not go alongside a wharf.
The vessel had been fumigated with the Clayton gas generator in Bombay, but
apparently only the between decks were dealt with and not the holds containing cargo.
The vessel had also been fumigated in Sydney.
Some dead rats had been found uninfected after the Bombay fumigation.
The s.s. "Clan Lamont," from Calcutta via Colombo, Durban, Cape Town,
Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, arrived at Gravesend 22nd July, and in London on
29th July, having loaded at Buenos Ayres. She left Buenos Ayres on the 20th June
after a five weeks' stay in that port. On the 16th August, Ameer Currim, aged 19, a
saloon steward, was taken ill suddenly with high fever, headache, and right femoral
bubo. He was taken to Denton Hospital on the 18th August. The ship was fumigated
for purposes of rat disinfestation and the living quarters rendered flea free, the ship
being moved out from Tilbury Dry Dock into the river for this purpose. The ship's
personnel was kept under surveillance. By bacterial experiment it was eventually
proved that the case was definitely one of Bubonic Plague
The history of rats on the ship shows that the vessel was fumigated in Buenos
Ayres, with the Calcutta cargo in situ, before discharge at that port. The fumigation
was on the 13th and 14th May, and a general cargo for London was loaded
subsequently.
Dead rats were found on the boat deck in proximity to a ventilator from No. 4
hold towards the end of June, two also in a ship's lifeboat close to another ventilator
from No. 4 hold and in proximity to the patient's quarters, during overhaul of the
ship's boats in Surrey Commercial Dock. About 30 rats were killed in the Buenos
Ayres fumigation, and 36 were killed on board in Surrey Dock by trap and poison.
The ship was in the Surrey Dock from the 29th July to 15th August, thence proceeding
to Tilbury Dry Dock, where the case occurred, and was promptly notified by the doctor
in attendance on the ship. Six contacts were landed for disinfection, and the
disinfestation and disinfection of the ship was carried out on the 19th August—19
rats were killed in the fumigation.
The incidence and course of Ship Plague infections which has from time to time
been brought before your Worshipful Committee is reflected in this case, in that:—
(1) The ship underwent a probably incomplete fumigation in Buenos
Ayres.
(2) The fumigation of the living quarters in Buenos Ayres rendered the
crew temporarily immune and greatly prolonged the time of human development
of the disease, by temporarily freeing the living quarters from rats and
fleas.