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3. Research. At this stage what we need is laboratory specimens to check the virus strains
and see if they are the same as those found in the epidemics in the Far East. Attempts may be
made to make vaccines from those strains found but its successful use for prevention may not
be a 100% success because (a) the vaccine must match almost exactly the virus strain, (b) by
the time we have identified the virus strain the epidemic may have burst upon us, (c) the disease
spreads rapidly (incubation 24-72 hours) and protection from vaccine does not follow for seven
days.
4. Inland. Medical Officers of Health are asking Medical Practitioners to be alert to spot
early cases and let the Medical Officer of Health know so that he can inform the Ministry of
Health and arrange for the collection of specimens for laboratory test and identifica tion of
virus strains.
5. General and Personal Hygiene. It would appear that now is the right time for health visitors
and others in a good position to do so to remind as many people as possible that the spread
of an epidemic can be minimised by careful observance of such elementary rules of hygiene as
the avoidance of spitting, coughing and sneezing, particularly in public transport and other
confined, crowded spaces.
The following brief account illustrates the truth of the comment I made on paragraph (2) of the
Chairman's statement to the Honourable Court, namely that at present the danger of 'Asian
Influenza' coming into this country threatens more by air than by sea.
On the 15th June a communication, dated 14th June was received from the Medical Officer of
London Airport, which read
"The 57 Seamen listed as attached arrived from Pakistan. They were inspected and
appeared quite well, but as they are only 48 hours out of an endemic area, we forward for
your information in case you may wish to exercise any surveillance. Their vaccination
certificates are in order. Address to which now proceeding — s.s. 'Stratheden', Tilbury."
This is a normal routine notice which is received from time to time from the Airport and its
primary significance is for the control of the possible introduction of smallpox into this country.
This information was immediately passed to the Health Inspector at Tilbury Dock and, in
accordance with the usual practice, arrangements were made for a daily muster and inspection of
the seamen by the P & 0 Steam Navigation Company's Medical Officer, during the temporary
housing of the seamen on the 'Stratheden', pending their subsequent removal to a Naval vessel
lying at Falmouth, for which purpose they had been flown over.
Over the week-end a number of the men were found to have developed influenza (11 in number)
and they were removed to Denton Hospital. In addition one other man (the first infected) had
been.sent to the Orsett Isolation Hospital.
It was ascertained that these Pakistanis were to be conveyed by motor coach to Falmouth
direct, there to join the Auxiliary Tanker "Wave Governor" which was refitting in Dry Dock at
Falmouth.
The Medical Officer of Health was immediately notified of the circumstances and of the pending
arrival of such of the party of seamen who showed no signs of illness.
On the 18th June at a final muster of the ratings a further two cases came to light and they
were admitted to the Thurrock Hospital.
Although every effort had been made to segregate these naval ratings from their compatriots
forming the normal crew of the "Stratheden" during their stay on board, our fears that this could
not be done were justified because one of the crew of the "Stratheden" was found to have
contracted influenza and he too was admitted to Thurrock Hospital.
It was subsequently learned that two other vessels that had been berthed in the Tilbury Dock
at the same time as the "Stratheden" had reported cases of influenza among the native crew
and it was alleged that in each case there had been an inter-mingling of the crews resulting in
a cross infection.
It was now obvious that a supply of vaccine should be obtained as soon as possible in order
that th members of your Staff at greatest risk should be protected and to this end I got in touch
with the Director of the Wright-Fleming Institute at St. Mary's Hospital, in the hope of securing
supplies. The vaccine was, however, in very limited supply at that time and was not then past
the experimental stage.
It has been fascinating to note how the infection has gradually got nearer and nearer these
shores. On the 9th June, a vessel arrived on which 63 of the crew and 23 passengers had
suffered from influenza but were all well on arrival. Similarly on the 12th June another vessel
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