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The Medical Officer considers that Dr. Willoughby and the Port Health Staff concerned are
deserving of congratulations for the action taken over this incident, and Dr. Willoughby for his
report upon it.
The egg culture test was also reported negative from Colindale. The two negative laboratory
tests were to have been expected in view of the clinical diagnosis of chickenpox and not smallpox.
SUSPECTED SMALLPOX s.s. "STRATHNAVER"
The following is an extract from the Weekly Epidemiological Record of the World Health
Organisation for the 30th March, 1961:
"s.s. "STRATHNAVER" from Bombay via Aden arrived at Suez on 25th March with one case
of modified smallpox amongst the crew. Vessel is scheduled to arrive on 29th March at
Marseilles and on 4th April at London."
Prior information to this effect had already been received from the P. & O./Orient Line on
the 25th March and confirmed by the Ministry of Health. It was, therefore, deemed necessary to
execute "Operation Brixham". The vessel was boarded by Port Health Staff on the 3rd April.
All passengers and crew were inspected and their names and addresses obtained for subsequent
notification to local Medical Officers of Health. No further case occurred during the voyage and
the ship berthed at Tilbury Landing Stage on the 4th April without delay.
Detailed Report
An interesting account of the incident is reported by Dr. H. Willoughby, as follows : —
" s.s. "STRATHNAVER". This vessel landed a case of "modified smallpox" at Suez
on the 25th March, 1961, which was diagnosed clinically by the Egyptian Port Health
Authority. Before the vessel arrived in the United Kingdom this diagnosis was confirmed
by the World Health Organisation and the Ministry of Health.
It was therefore decided to alert "Operation Brixham" in view of the fact that any
secondary case might well be incubating the disease on the day prior to arrival in London
when close scrutiny of the personnel might well reveal a case exhibiting the prodromal
symptoms.
It was unfortunate that the arrival date at Brixham coincided with the Easter Holidays
when communications were liable to disturbance and rail and road services were also less
reliable than normal weekly services.
Accordingly Dr. H. Willoughby (Deputy Medical Officer of Health), Dr. W.T.G. Boul
(Consulting Physician), Dr. B. Edgar (Medical Superintendent, P. & O./Orient Line),
Mr. T.L. Mackie (Chief Port Health Inspector) and Messrs. Ratliff, Stout and Smith (Administrative
Officers) proceeded to Brixham on Easter Sunday, 2nd April, to await the arrival of
the "STRATHNAVER" in Brixham Roads.
We boarded the vessel at 1430 hours on Easter Monday, 3rd April, and immediately held
a conference with the Senior Medical Officer of the ship.
"Voyage Itinerary
Left Sydney on 26.2.61; Melbourne 1.3.61; Adelaide 2.3.61; Fremantle 6.3.61; Colombo
14.3.61; Bombay 17.3.61; Aden 21.3.61; Suez 24.3.61; Marseilles 30.3.61; Brixham
3.4.61; Tilbury arrived Noon 4.4.61.
"Case History
Paul d'Silva, aged 44, a Goanese Scullion, joined the vessel in Bombay on the 17th
March, 1961 having been in that city "for a few days".
On the 23rd March he was brought to the Sick Bay by the Head Cook with a skin rash.
(Note: Patient was brought to the Sick Bay and did not report of his own volition). He did
not complain of feeling ill although he had in fact a temperature of 100°F.
He had a profuse skin eruption, vesicular in nature on the head, face, chest and back.
Few lesions were present on thighs and legs, a few lesions (about 3 in number) on the palate
and few in each axilla. Nil on palms of hands or soles of feet. He admitted to having a
slight headache. The skin lesions were superficial rather than deep and a few were lenticular
in folds of the abdomen. There was no evidence of "cropping".
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