Sketch of the operation and of some of the most striking results of quarantine in British ports since the beginning of the present century.

  • Gavin Milroy
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sketch of the operation and of some of the most striking results of quarantine in British ports since the beginning of the present century. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    bilious remittent fever was more than usually prevalent in the town, and that the type of the disease became more malignant and fatal in September. It may not be undeserving of passing notice, that some of the physicians in Carthagena alleged that their epidemic in 1810 was brought to them from Gibraltar, while the quarantine authorities of the Rock attributed their visita¬ tion to their Spanish neighbours. This sort of mutual in¬ crimination is far from being infrequent in the history of quarantine. The next time that yellow fever broke out in Gibraltar was in September 1813—the year, it will be remembered, of the plague in Malta. This epidemic proved much more fatal than the preceding one. Sir W. Pym, who was still at the head of the quarantine department there, states that “it was again traced to importation”*—“that the indivi¬ duals who brought the disease into the garrison were ascer¬ tained”—“that one of them was ill when he arrived”— “ that the disease was communicated to the persons residing in the same house, and speedily on both sides of the street in which the house was situated”. Unfortunately, he has omitted to give any particulars respecting these several allegations; nor does he state who were the parties that brought the disease, or whence they came, or when they arrived. We are necessitated, therefore, to look elsewhere for information as to the origin of this epidemic; and, hap¬ pily, there is good evidence at hand. That most truthful writer, Ur. Hennen, who, when principal medical officer of the garrison, examined with great care all the official documents in the public archives touching the previous epidemics, states that cases of the disease had occurred a * It deserves to be noticed that, in consequence of the known presence of the plague in Malta this year, the vigilance of the quarantine authorities at Gibraltar was even greater than usual.