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ss. "City of Bristol": This vessel, from Rangoon, arrived at Gravesend on the
17th March, having landed a case of Small-pox at Eangoon. The vessel was placed in
quarantine at that port, the entire crew were vaccinated, and the ship, bedding and
effects thoroughly disinfected. No other case occurred.
ss. "Manora": Arrived at Gravesend, from Calcutta, on the 22nd March.
A case of Small-pox was landed at Colombo, where vaccination and complete
disinfection were carried out. No other case occurred.
ss. "Mashobra": This vessel arrived off Gravesend on 22nd April, from Calcutta,
via Marseilles and Plymouth. On 1st April two native seamen reported sick, and the
disease was diagnosed as Chicken-pox by the ship's surgeon and the Port Medical
Officer at Aden. This diagnosis was confirmed by the Port Medical Officers at Suez
and Port Said, but on arrival of the vessel at Marseilles, on 13th April, the disease
was in each case considered to be modified Small-pox, and the patients were removed
to hospital ashore. The native crew had all been vaccinated on 12th April. All the
passengers who landed at Marseilles were vaccinated before leaving the ship, and
during the next three days the remainder of the passengers and the European crew
were vaccinated on board by the ship's surgeon. When the vessel arrived in the
Port of London every person on board was medically inspected, and their names and
addresses were carefully checked and forwarded to the Medical Officers of Health of
the districts to which they were proceeding. The native deck-crew were taken ashore
to Denton Hospital and bathed while their clothing was being disinfected by steam.
The native quarters were disinfected. No extension of the infection occurred.
ss. "Ranchi": This vessel arrived off Gravesend on 26th April, from Bombay,
via Marseilles and Plymouth. A first-class passenger was on board suffering from
modified Small-pox. The patient joined the ship at Bombay on 5th April, and was first
taken ill on 11th April. He reported on 14th April to the ship's surgeon, who diagnosed
Chicken-pox and isolated him in the ship's hospital. At Marseilles the diagnosis was
considered to be doubtful, but probably Chicken-pox. After leaving Marseilles the
ship's surgeon vaccinated nearly everybody on board.
On arrival in the Port of London the case was considered to be Small-pox, and
was removed to Denton Hospital. The usual preventive measures were adopted,
including the transmission to the Medical Officers of Health of the districts of destination
of the names and addresses of the 288 passengers and 146 European crew then' on
board. This work was all completed in the evening of the day the " Ranchi " arrived.
The ss. "City of Venice" arrived at Gravesend at 8.30 a.m. on the 27th May,
and was boarded by the Boarding Medical Officer, who ascertained that the vessel had
left Calcutta on 27th April, calling at Colombo, Suez, Port Said and Marseilles.
A native fireman was landed at Suez on 14th May, suffering from Small-pox. The
patient was reported to have been unsuccessfully vaccinated before the vessel left
Calcutta. There was no initial illness, but on 13th May papules developed on the face,
chest and back. The case was diagnosed as Small-pox at Suez, and was landed there
with the patient's bedding and effects. The firemen's quarters were disinfected, and
the crew, numbering 30 Europeans and 114 natives, and the passengers, numbering
119, were vaccinated. The infection appears to have been contracted in Calcutta.
On arrival at Gravesend all persons on board were inspected, and a native fireman
was found to be suffering from an eruption which was considered to be undoubtedly
due to Secondary Syphilis. This patient was later transferred to another ship,
and subsequently admitted to a Venereal Disease Clinic in Liverpool. He had been
successfully vaccinated on 27th April, and had developed the eruption on 17th May.
All other persons on board were well. The names and addresses of the passengers
and European crew were obtained and checked and forwarded on the day of arrival
to the Medical Officers of Health of the districts concerned. The native crew were
kept under observation on board. No other case occurred while the vessel was in
the Port of London.