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It should have been inferred that to store food in the living quarters was to
invite attack of the occupants by the disease, such storage being a direct attraction
to rats. Without this storage there would probably have been no infection
in the Lascar quarters.
It should have been inferred that the position of the men in the quarters
about the lower No. 1 hatchway, with its stack of linseed, was a dangerous one.
The attention of the shipping company and Board of Trade was called to the
conditions fostering the little epidemic, and measures which might have rendered
the ship's community safe in the presence of a rat infection on board, were communicated
to the shipping company as shown in the following letters.
26th April, 1922.
The Secretary,
Marine Department,
Board of Trade.
Sir,
I beg to bring to your notice the practice on the ss. " City of Genoa," at present clearing
for sea, and on other ships, of carrying a store (one or more) of provisions in the forecastles.
The " City of Genoa " has at present a week's supply in each of the firemen's and sailors'
forecastles.
The practice is conducive to rat infestation, and in the case of rat-plague in the ship, to
the spread of this disease (bubonic plague) amongst the crew through the attraction of
infected rats and the liberation on death of their infected fleas in the crew's quarters.
The " City of Genoa " already affords an instance of this not rare occurrence and
sequence of circumstances, on her late voyage.
I therefore report the practice for your information.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Sgd.) W. M. WILLOUGHBY,
Medical Officer of Health .
26th April, 1922.
Ellerman Lines, Ltd.
Gentlemen,
I have to bring to your notice the insanitary practice on the ss. " City of Genoa," at
present clearing for sea, and on other ships, of carrying a store (one or more) of provisions in
the various forecastles. The " City of Genoa " has at present a week's supply in each of
the sailors' and firemen's forecastles. The practice is conducive to rat infestation and in the
case of rat-plague in the ship to the spread of this disease (bubonic plague) amongst the crew
through attraction of the infected rats and the liberation on death of their infected fleas
in the crew's quarters.
The ''City of Genoa'' already affords an instance of this, not rare occurrence and sequence
of circumstances, on her late voyage.
I would also bring to your notice that whenever a case of bubonic plague occurs amongst
the crew in a person who is concerned in distribution or storage of foodstuffs on the ship,
or who from time to time descends into the food store, it may be at once assumed that the
store room contains infected rats and that the rats on the ship are plague infected. In rat
infections the issuer of food stores is commonly the first man to be infected. This should
at once be verified by search (dead rats will be found) and precautions taken to render all
living quarters and store rooms rat-free pending complete discharge of cargo and disinfestation
in a port.
Twice a week, pending arrival, 1-lb. of sulphur to every 1,000 cubic feet of space should
be burned in the crew's quarters and store rooms, the quarters being sealed on each occasion
for six hours, so that rats or fleas contained may be destroyed.
This, with the discontinuance of the objectionable and dangerous storage of food above
alluded to, would render the living quarters temporarily safe even in the presence of a rat
infection in the holds.
I would suggest that these points be brought to the notice of the masters and surgeons
on your vessels and ask your co-operation thus in the avoidance of unnecessary extension of
the disease from rat to man on board your vessels trading with the East.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
(Sgd.) W. M. WILLOUGHBY,
Medical Officer of Health.
ss. " Porthia "—Plague.—This vessel left Rosario on October 24th and
arrived in the Thames on Saturday, November 25th, with a cargo of grain in bag
and bulk and a personnel of thirty-three men.
A death which had occurred on the 21st November was declared, in answer to
the customary questions, as due to Enteric Fever.