Medical Officer's annual report [to] Durban Corporation.
- Durban (South Africa). Public Health Department
- Date:
- [1912]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Medical Officer's annual report [to] Durban Corporation. Source: Wellcome Collection.
103/178 page 51
![Annexure “A.”] PLAGUE. The Port of Durban, communicating as it does with the Ports of many Plague infected countries, must be regarded as always liable to the invasion of Plague from such sources. Between Durban and Indian Ports there is con¬ siderable shipping traffic, and it is well known that Plague has been in existence in India for many years past. Erom Government Reports it can be seen that in India during the week ending December 1(1, 1911—a month before Plague broke out in Durban—there were 9,951 cases of Plague and 8,191 deaths. The ports of Bombay, Calcutta, and Karachi were, during that week, and for many weeks and months previously, Plague infected. Singapore, in the Straits Settlements, was a Plague infected port at tli ' • and Hong Kong, in China, was in a similar condition. Plague infected existed in North and South I America, and coining nearer to South. Africa, there were in November several cases of Plague in Mauritius, and in September Plague existed in Zanzibar. Plague is universally recognised as one of the most dangerous of all infectious diseases, and owing to the extensive ravages it usually makes when introduced into a community, all civilised countries have bestowed special consideration upon this disease. In 1908 delegates from many nations met at an International Conference in Paiis, at which a Convention was made in regard to Plague and Cholera, the provisions of which were to be observed by the countries signing such Convention on the appearance of Plague or Cholera in their territory. The Government of Natal became a signatory to this Con¬ vention. There is much in the Convention of Paris, 1908, to which no exception can be taken, but Section 8, dealing with measures of ports and land frontiers, is, in my opinion, inadequate to nroperlv safe-guard the healthy port at which a ship may arrive from a port infected with Plague at the time of its departure. It appears to me that those who drafted the Convention were guided more by commercial interests than regard for Public Health. To say that “ a ship shall be regarded as healthy, notwithstanding its having come from an infected port, if there has been no death from or case of Plague on board either before de¬ parture, or during the voyage, or on arrival,” is in my opinion to take far too great a risk on the part of a healthy port to the possibilities of Plague infection being introduced. From what we know of the etiology of Plague, it is recog¬ nised that time is necessary in order to develop an unusual mortality amongst rats, and the conveyance of infection from such rats by the agency of fleas to human beings. The three weeks concerned in a voyage from India to Port Natal cannot be said to eliminate the possibility of virulent Plague infection being on board, although a human case of this disease has not occurred nor the existence of excessive mortality amongst rats been observed during the voyage. One way that would give everyone a great feeling of security would be to regard a ship coming from a Plague infected port as being liable to contain infection, and to require in every case the fumigation of such vessel, by such methods as will ensure the destruction of all rats and their attendant fleas. Were such a procedure insisted upon it would practically eliminate the possibility of Plague infection being conveyed to Durban, and would perhaps have a salutory effect on certain Eastern ports that have been continuously Plague infected ftjr years. ry In connection with the recent outbreak of Plague in Durban there can be no two opinions as regards the mode of its entrance into this Borough. The infection was undoubtedly brought to Durban by shipping. For a time the disease was confined to the wharves and wharf sheds. The first victims of the disease were persons employed in the sheds and on the wharves. Erom the- wharves the disease spread apparently in two ways: first, by the transportation of goods from the wharves to distant parts- and, second, by the migration of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31486496_0103.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
