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The Medical Officers of Health of both Mistley (Essex) and Ipswich were notified
of the circumstances. The barge was thoroughly disinfected and the patient's bedding
and effects were removed to Denton Hospital for steam disinfection.
ss. "Floristan."—The above vessel arrived at Gravesend on the 4th November
from Basra, having landed a case of Small-pox at Aden on the 17th October. The
whole of the crew were vaccinated at Aden and the infected quarters fumigated with
sulphur. The bedding used by the patient was destroyed.
On arrival at Gravesend the whole of the crew were carefully examined, but no
other case or suspicious case was discovered. On the arrival of the vessel in dock
the infected quarters were again fumigated with sulphur, cleaned and repainted.
No further case occurred during the vessel's stay in this Port.
ss. "Lorca."—At 10 a.m. on the 9th November information was received from
the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich that a member of the crew of the
ss. "Lorca," who had attended the Out-patient Department of Seamen's Hospital,
Greenwich, the previous evening, was suspected to be suffering from Small-pox and
had been removed to the London County Council South Wharf Observation Station,
Eotherhithe, S.E. Dr. J. S. Warrack visited the vessel lying at Bellamy's Wharf,
and ascertained the following facts:—
Movements of Vessel:—
Left Basra, 8th October.
Arrived Port Said, 22nd October (six hours' stay).
,, Oran, 29th October (three hours' stay).
,, Gravesend, 6th November, 5 p.m.
Number of Persons on Board.—Passengers, nil. Crew: Europeans, 34;
Natives, nil.
History of Case.—On or about 3rd November an Ordinary Seaman complained
that he felt ill and had severe backache. He reported to the Chief Officer, who stated
that at that time there were no signs of anv eruption and that he considered the man
had a "chill."
Action taken in London.—The vessel arrived at 5 p.m. on 6th November off
Gravesend and was boarded by Dr. H. Willoughby, who examined every member
of the crew, none of whom presented symptoms suggesting infectious disease. The
vessel proceeded to her berth at Bellamy's Wharf, Rotherhithe, S.E., to discharge
cargo, principally cases of dates and oats in bulk.
On 7th November the patient was seen by one of the Shipping Federation doctors,
who diagnosed "weakness after cold" and prescribed a tonic. On the evening of
8th November the patient developed a rash, and attended the Out-patient Department
of the Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich, S.E., where it was thought that he was suffering
from Small-pox. He was accordingly removed by ambulance to the London County
Council Observation Station at South Wharf, Eotherhithe, S.E. On 9th November,
Dr. Warrack offered vaccination to the members of the crew then on board; 27 accepted
and five declined (all these latter showed well-defined marks of previous vaccinations).
The remaining two members of the crew were vaccinated by your Medical Officer of
Health on 10th November. Seven immediate contacts, occupants of the same forecastle
as the patient, were removed to your Hospital at Gravesend, together with their
bedding and effects, for bathing and disinfection. The whole of the crew's quarters
forward were fumigated with Sulphur Dioxide and washed down with Izal.