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Preventive Measures taken on Board.—On 23rd March the patient was isolated
in the ship's hospital, his bedding was dumped overboard and his quarters washed
out with " carbolacene."
At Port Said on 26th March, after removal of the patient, the hospital was
sprayed with a disinfectant and fumigated with Formalin. On 28th March, after
wireless confirmation of the diagnosis of Small-pox, all passengers were mustered and
offered vaccination ; some 400 of the 797 on board accepted, and were vaccinated.
The crew had nearly all been vaccinated 15 months previously, but those who
had not were re-vaccinated.
Preventive Measures on arrival in London.—Every person on board was medically
inspected. All the passengers and European crew had been given a double post-card,
one half for the notification of addresses on disembarkation, the other half for
notification of any change of address within 14 days. The immediate addresses were
carefully checked, and the necessity for notifying any change of address was impressed
on each individual.
Eight Goanese stewards who had shared the patient's cabin were taken ashore
to Denton Hospital for bathing and disinfection. This cabin was put under disinfection
by sulphur candles. The hospital was sealed for disinfection in dock. The hospital
bedding had been thrown overboard.
Commeyits.—The patient joined the ship at Bombay on 17th March. He was
stated to have been successfully vaccinated on 14th March. This did not affect the
diagnosis of Small-pox, as the patient must have been infected on or about 8th March.
Vaccination therefore took place six days after infection, and so vaccinia and Variola
may have run concurrently.
The Ship Surgeon's description of the disease strongly suggested Chicken-pox as the
diagnosis, but on the other hand, after having the case under observation in hospital
for two days, Port Said sent a wireless message confirming their original suspicion of
Small-pox. With the history of vaccination there was, of course, just the possibility
of generalised vaccinia.
The fact that no cases of Chicken-pox developed amongst the remainder of the
native crew was in favour of the diagnosis of Small-pox, because in the experience of
your Medical Officer Chicken-pox nearly always gives rise to secondary cases amongst
natives, who do not appear to be exposed to this infection in childhood and therefore
are susceptible in adult life.
ss. "Comorin."—The above-mentioned vessel arrived off Gravesend on 13th April.
During the inspection of the crew it was noticed that a Distressed British Seaman
showed scars of a recent attack of Small-pox. On enquiry it was found that this
man had been an apprentice on board the ss. "Red Sea," had developed Small-pox
and had been landed to hospital in Hong Kong. Having recovered, he was returning
to his home in Leicester on the ss. "Comorin." His clothing had been destroyed
at Hong Kong, and he had no infected clothing or effects with him.
ss. "King City."—The above-mentioned vessel arrived off Gravesend on
15th April, and it was ascertained that four cases of Small-pox amongst the crew
had been landed to hospital at William Head, B.C., Quarantine Station. Fumigation
and disinfection were carried out by the Port Sanitary Authorities at William Head,
B.C., and in addition the vessel received special attention by the American Port
Sanitary Authorities at subsequent ports of call.
No further cases occurred on the vessel.