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crew were medically inspected and two were re-vaccinated. The addresses of the crew
were carefully checked, and were forwarded the same day to the Medical Officers of
Health of the various districts concerned.
Observations.—The patient must have been infected during the time she was in
Palestine, probably at Damascus.
The Ship's Surgeon undoubtedly did everything possible to prevent the spread of
infection on board and gave every assistance to the Port Sanitary Authority.
mv. "British Splendour"—Previous Information.—On 19th November, a letter
was received from the Ministry of Health calling attention to a report in the Press that
a case of Small-pox had been landed from the mv." British Splendour" at Gibraltar
on 17th November. This report was confirmed in telephone conversation with the
owners of the vessel.
Movements of Vessel
Abadan October 27
Suez November 11
Gibraltar 17
Peauillac November 22
Rouen 26
London 29
Number of Persons on Board.—Passengers, nil. Crew, 40 Europeans.
History of Cases.—B. P...., ship's carpenter, was ashore in Abadan on 26th October.
On 7th November he complained of headache and backache and had a temperature
of 101° P. He was seen by a Medical Officer at Suez on 11th November, but there was
then no evidence that he was suffering from Small-pox. On 13th November a papular
rash developed on his face and all over his body. On arrival of the vessel at Gibraltar
on 17th November the case was diagnosed as Small-pox and was removed to hospital.
The crew were all vaccinated, and the necessary disinfection was carried out.
On arrival at Rouen on 26th November, an assistant steward was taken to hospital
suffering from tonsillitis and the boatswain, donkeyman and cook were feverish and
were taken to hospital for observation. The personal effects of all these men except
the cook were taken ashore and their bedding was destroyed.
On 28th November, a telegram was received from the Medical Officer of Health
of the Port of Rouen, to the effect that three of the four men landed there were suffering
from Small-pox.
Action in London.—The vessel arrived off Gravesend at 8 a.m. on 29th November,
and was boarded by Dr. Warrack, Dr. Kean and a Sanitary Inspector. The crew
were carefully inspected, their condition as regards vaccination recorded, and their
names and addresses were carefully checked. The cook's bedding and effects were
removed to the Port Sanitary Hospital for steam disinfection, and all the cabins
which had been occupied by the sick men were disinfected with sulphur.
The crew remained on board and were visited daily. On the 1st December, six
men went home and their addresses were duly notified to the Medical Officers of
Health concerned. One officer left to join another ship. Although his vaccination
at Gibraltar had not been successful, he appeared still to be protected by successful
vaccination in 1924.
Observations.—The first case was probably infected ashore at Abadan, and the
three secondary cases were infected by the first case, the vaccination at Gibraltar
being too late to prevent them.
The telegram from the Port Medical Officer of Rouen confirming the diagnosis
in regard to the cases landed there is an example of the value of the arrangements for
exchange of information between ports, particularly as the Master of the "British
Splendour" said he had received information from the hospital that the cases landed
at Rouen were not Small-pox.