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SUSPECTED MODIFIED SMALLPOX -m.v. "CLAN MACLACHLAN"
On the 14th March, a cablegram was received from the Port Medical Officer at Gibraltar that
an Asian seaman who was landed from the mv "Clan Maclachlan" at Gibraltar on 11th March
with otitis media and sinusitis, was later diagnosed as suffering from suspected modified smallpox.
The Ministry of Health was informed and a cablegram sent to the Port Medical Officer,
Gibraltar, asking for confirmation of the diagnosis and requesting that samples be sent to the
Public Health Laboratory at Colindale for examination.
The ship had called at Calcutta on 21st February, Aden on 27th February and arrived in the
Port of London on 15th March. The ship was contacted by radio telephone and the Boarding
Medical Officer, together with two Port Health Inspectors and a Rodent Inspector proceeded
down river in the cutter "Humphrey Morris" and boarded the shipoff Thames Haven at 2.15 p.m.
All members of the crew - there were no passengers — were examined and together with the
pilot were revaccinated. Those members of the crew who were going ashore in London were
asked to give the addresses to which they were going and each was handed a pre-paid postcard
for notifying any change of address within 14 days of leaving the ship. The bedding from the
cabin occupied by the case and from the ships's hospital was removed for disinfection and the
hospital was fumigated; the cabin was fumigated the next day when the ship was in dock. The
ship caught the tide and docked at Tilbury Dock in the evening as scheduled.
The names and addresses of members of the crew who were leaving the ship on the 16th
March were posted on the morning of that day to the Medical Officers of Health of the areas to
which they were proceeding.
Subsequently a report was received from the Public Health Laboratory at Colindale that
specimens of vesicle fluid and blood from the Asian seaman had been received from the Medical
Officer of Health of Gibraltar and had been examined with the following results:— Gel diffusion
test; Negative for variola vaccinia group; Egg culture test; Negative for variola virus.
Medical Officers of Health who had been notified that members of the crew were proceeding
to their areas and the Port Medical Officers of the ports at which the ship was calling on leaving
London on 20th March were informed accordingly.
GASTRO-ENTERITIS - m.v."NICHOLAS BOWATER"
On the arrival at Gravesend of the m.v. "Nicholas Bowater" from Charleston (U.S.A.)via
Rouen, on the 8th January, it was ascertained that ten Officers had suffered from Gastro-Enteritis.
The first symptons became evident soon after the ship had left Rouen but quickly subsided,
and when the vessel was boarded only the Captain and the 3rd Engineer still had residual
symptoms. Instructions were given that fresh milk and vegetables taken on board at Rouen, where
food poisoning had been suspect in recent months, were not to be used until investigations had
been carried out and samples of milk, lettuce, apples and tomatoes were sent to Maidstone
Laboratory for bacteriological examination. The results of the bacteriological examinations were
negative and the outbreak was attributed to a virus infection which was very prevalent in most
countries at that time.
All ten cases remained on board and were kept under surveillance by the Boarding Medical
Officers during the vessel's stay in London and all had recovered by the time the vessel sailed
on the 11th January.
FATAL CASE OF GASTRO-ENTERITIS -s.s."DEVON"
During the homeward voyage from Australian ports to United Kingdom, via Suez Canal the
4th Engineer, age 23 years, became ill on 9th December and died four days later. He was buried
at sea. The ship arrived at Aden on 18th December and samples of beef steak fillets were
bacteriologically examined, from which CI. welchii was isolated.
When the ship arrived at Liverpool on 1st January.no further incidents had arisen. However,
the remaining beef steak fillets were removed from the Storeroom and an examination revealed
CI. welchii, whereupon the steaks were destroyed by the Port Health Authority.
It was decided at Liverpool to postpone a complete investigation until the ship arrived
at London, the terminal port. This actually took place in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport
and it was decided to allow the Port Health Authority a relatively free hand in the field
of hygiene and bacteriological investigations. It was decided to take samples of all relevant
foodstuffs from the ship's Provision Rooms and to transfer all meats to a Cold Store pending
bacteriological examination results. Meanwhile, everything associated with the storage, preparation
and cooking of meats was thoroughly cleansed with a solution of 'chloros' fumigated with
formalin vapour and finally washed with clean water. All wooden surfaces were scraped and dunnage
associated with the storerooms burned.
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