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The following data is explanatory of the action taken under this sytem:—
403 address cards, representing 602 passengers and European crew, were
scrutinised and checked during the medical examination, and were posted to the
Medical Officers of Health of 204 individual Sanitary areas in the United Kingdom.
Subsequently 131 passengers notified change of address once and eight passengers
notified change of address twice. Ten members of the crew notified change of address
once and ten notified their return to the ship.
Though there were several queries in regard to addresses, every person on board
was ultimately traced, and, though no further cases of Small-pox developed, it is
satisfactory to know that the system of surveillance can be worked so efficiently.
ss. " Mulbera."—The ss. " Mulbera " arrived at Gravesend on the 17th April,
having landed a case of Small-pox at Aden on 28th March.
On arrival in London the whole of the passengers and members of the European
and native crews were medically examined, but there was no evidence that there had
been any spread of the infection on board. As the incubation period of the disease
had expired, it was unnecessary to arrange for surveillance to be carried out.
The infected cabins were disinfected and all bedding, &c., was removed to Denton
Hospital for steam disinfection. No further case occurred.
ss. " City of Durban."—The ss. " City of Durban " arrived at Gravesend on
31st August, having landed a suspected case of Small-pox at Suez on 17th August.
The patient had been ashore at Calcutta on 24th July, and on 9th August
complained of a pain in his chest, and on 12th August of a pain in his stomach.
He developed an eruption which the Master considered to be " prickly heat."
His temperature varied from 99° to 100° up to 17th August, when the patient was
landed at Suez. The Port Medical Officer at Suez suspected Small-pox, and removed
the case to Hospital.
The entire personnel of the ship was vaccinated at Suez on 17th August, and the
infected quarters fumigated and sprayed.
On arrival at Gravesend the entire crew were inspected by the Boarding Medical
Officer. The ship was kept under daily observation while in the Port, and the infected
quarters were again fumigated. No other case occurred.
A Suspected Case of Typhus Fever.
On 17th September the London Agents of the Blue Funnel Line informed me by
telephone that they had received news from their Portland Agent that the
ss. " Agamemnon " from the Far East, due in London at 3.30 a.m. the next day, had
on board a case of Typhus Fever in the person of a Chinese steerage passenger.
I suggested that there might be a mistake between Typhus and Typhoid, but the
Agents assured me that the case was one of Typhus. Dr. MelloAvs, the Boarding
Medical Officer on duty, was informed, a Sanitary Inspector was instructed to be
prepared to carry out delousing of living quarters as might be necessary, and
arrangements were made for the reception of the patient at Denton Hospital and for
the disinfecting and bathing station to be in readiness.
On arrival of the ship, Dr. Mellows found the patient to be a Chinese passenger
named Soo Foo, aged 41, travelling with his wife. He embarked at Hong Kong on
14th August, and the subsequent ports of call were Singapore, Port Sweetenham,
Penang, Colombo, Aden, Suez, Port Said and Marseilles. The last time the patient
was ashore was at Penang on 23rd August. He had a slight febrile attack on
4th September, but his temperature returned to normal next day.