View report page

to the other London General Hospitals, and even had this been possible the appearance
of an ambulance in the very busy Tooley Street area would have immediately caused
alarm among the many stevedores and dock workers
(b) The transportation of cases by our own launch the 25 miles down river to Denton also
seemed out of the question.
It was, however, obvious that the cases had to be isolated in order to prevent the spread
of the disease to the remainder of the crew, since 9 out of a total of 25 were already out of
action.
After giving the matter due consideration I decided that since the vessel was of Danish
nationality and would shortly be returning to Denmark, and that the three cases on board were
none of them seriously ill, I would be justified in leaving them isolated on board and to this
end your Chief Inspector, Mr. Mackie, visited the vessel and obtained a written statement from
the Master that he would keep the men isolated on board the ship until she sailed.
This she did the following day and berthed at a Wharf just below Gravesend. The Medical
Officer on Duty on the "Hygeia" was warned of the circumstances and asked to keep the cases
under observation.
This instruction was carried out and the patients at Denton Hospital, as soon as they were
ready for discharge were returned to the vessel which eventually sailed with a full complement.
No further cases occurred before the vessel sailed.
Another example of the practice of expediency and one that has a romantic appeal is the
case of a small collier which arrived from Hartlepool on the 21st September and proceeded to
buoys in Galleons Reach, awaiting orders.
On the 22nd September (Sunday) the Chief Steward visited Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich,
complaining of influenza symptoms, was detained and discharged the following day.
On the 23rd September a medical practitioner from Woolwich attended on board at the request
of the Shipping Company and diagnosed two members of the crew t o be suffering from influenza,
one of whom was admitted to Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich while the other remained isolated on
board. The vessel then moved to the Albert Dock Hoists to commence discharge.
On the 24th September following my instructions the Health Inspector for the Middle River
District visited the vessel and reported that seven members of the crew, including the Master,
showed signs of sickness. The vessel was due to complete discharge at 3.00 a.m., on the
25th September.
These circumstances being brought to my notice I decided that the health of the crew did not
permit of this vessel sailing and after consultation with the Shipping Company it was agreed
that the vessel should be moved to buoys in the River until such time as I was satisfied that the
health of the crew had so improved as to warrant the vessel sailing or that the outbreak had
subsided.
Captain Letts, the Port of London Authority's Harbour Master at Woolwich, at my request, very
kindly provided a clear berth in the River in the vicinity of the Port Health Authority's Woolwich
Station, an arrangement which greatly facilitated easy health surveillance.
Arrangements were made with Dr. W.H. Greaney of the Shipping Federation to visit the vessel
daily. This he did reporting the situation daily. On the 26th September he reported that the
majority of the crew were recovering with the exception of the Master.
On the 27th September he reported that all the crew had now sufficiently recovered as to
permit the vessel proceeding to sea, with the exception of the Master who, although recovering,
required a period of convalescence. Dr. Greaney made arrangements for the Master to be admitted
to the Seamen s Hospital for a few days and the vessel sailed on the afternoon tide of the
27th September with a relief Master on board.
The success that attended improvisations of this kind, namely that of isolating members of
the crew on board who were not seriously ill, made such an appeal, particularly in view of the
very limited hospital accommodation at our disposal, that the possibility of applying this course
of action to other vessels was considered.
If this was to be done, three essential conditions would have to be observed in every case,
namely
18