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11
SMALL-POX.
s.s. "China" arrived at Gravesend from Bombay on the 21st January. The
vessel touched at the following Ports on the voyage:—
Aden 6th January.
Suez 10th ,,
Port Said 10th ,,
Marseilles 15th ,,
Gibraltar 17 th ,,
Plymouth 20th ,,
Gravesend 21st ,,
On the 19th January a bedroom-cabin steward reported sick with general feeling
of being "out of sorts"; had had some lumbago pains. REash appeared on the 20th
at 8 a.m.; was isolated—at noon a full papular rash. Tmperature 101.4. Landed at
Plymouth the same day as suspicious Variola. He had not been in attendance on the
passengers as the cabins were empty. All stewards were offered re-vaccination—six
accepted. The names and addresses of passengers and crew were taken and notified
to the various Medical Officers of Health.
Passengers 105
Crew 109
s.s. "Kaisar-I-Hind" arrived from Bombay on the 26th February. On the
7th February a bedroom steward reported having been unwell for three days with two
slight attacks of vomiting and headache—no pains in back. The same day his
temperature was 100—papular rash appeared at 9 p.m. Patient was landed at Aden
with fully-developed attack of Small-pox on the 10th February.
All stewards, European passengers and crew, who consented, were vaccinated.
Bedding was dumped overboard—effects sent ashore with patient, and infected quarters
were scrubbed out with carbolic solution. Fumigation of quarters was carried out
in London.
No other cases occurred.
s.s. "Prinz Ludwig" arrived from Bombay on the 26th April, and reported
having landed a case of Small-pox at Gibraltar on the 14th April, and a second case at
Southampton on the 23rd. Disinfection was carried out at Southampton, and the
crew vaccinated.
The names and addresses of the crew—total 121—were taken at Gravesend, and
notified to the various Medical Officers of Health.
s.s. "Naldera" arrived from Bombay on the 3rd June. It was reported that
a case of Small-pox and one of Chicken-pox had been landed at Suez on the 22nd May.
Infected quarters on the vessel were disinfected and bedding, &c., dumped. The
contacts were vaccinated, and all disinfected.
s.s. "Clan Kenneth" arrived from Bombay on the 17th June. It was reported
that a case of Small-pox had been removed therefrom at Colombo on the 26th April.
All crew were vaccinated, and the infected quarters fumigated.
s.s. "Llanstephan Castle" arrived from Durban on the 22nd September. On
the 14th August the second officer was taken ill with symptoms of Small-pox and landed
at Zanzibar on the 19th. Personal effects were landed with the patient—bedding
destroyed. Infected cabin and hospital were fumigated out with sulphur
and washed down with formalin. Contacts were all vaccinated on the 16th August.
s.s. "City of York" arrived from Calcutta on the 9th December. On
15th November a native fireman developed a rash resembling Small-pox. The case
was isolated, and discharged on the 4th December. Effects were burnt and infected
quarters on the vessel disinfected.
Information was received on 23rd December from Middlesbrough that a case
suspicious of Small-pox had been landed from s.s. " Mainyo " on 15th December.
Usual precautions were taken. Fu rther information that the patient was successfully
vaccinated during the period of his rash suggested that this case was in reality one
of Chicken-pox.