Hide Article Text (OCR)
A very great amount of excitement was caused in town on Thursday when it was announced that the China Navigation Company's steamer Chingtu had smallpox on lioard. The steamer laid otf Hospital Point until the medical officer inspected her, hut U-fore the official declaration was made signals passing between the ship and the shore to!d that there was smallpox ahooid, and a proper spell of alarm fell on the inhabitants of tlie town illum'd lately. Exaggerated yarns passetl from mouth to mouth, increasing in their terrifying tone as each one added his or her mite of iniagiiiation to the reports, and by the time tliat Dr. Wood came ashore many (wople hail worked themselves up to such a pitch that they were prepared to «|uit the city at a minute's notice and go •Oincwherc where there would be less chance of lieing victimised by the dreadful disease. Hut Dr. Wood's report soon allayed any extraordinary excitement. ile found on visiting the ship that there was only one case of the disease on board, the patient being a Chinaman who became ill after the steamer had left Singapore. As soon as the state of the victim was made known to Captain Arthur he gave orders to isolate him, and every precaution was taken against the disease spreading among the other passengers and crew. As for as we can make out, the case is not an aggravated one, and we don’t think there is any reason for citizens to feel very much scared about it, though it will of course be wise to take every step likely to keep the disease offshore, for if it once established itself in China Town fearful results would follow.The mails were thoroughly fumigated last night, and the operation vu re peated again this morning under the superintendence of Dr. Stow, and we understand they were landed this afternoon.Tlie patient is at present slung in a boat over the stem, and thus completely isolated from all danger of contact with the rest of the passengers.Yesterday afternoon Messrs. Adcock
Newspaper Details
Darwin North Australian
Darwin, Northern Territory, AU
Fri, Jan 21, 1887
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
GB 23 Apr 2023
Other Publications Near Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin North Australian
Darwin Army News
Darwin Northern Territory Times and Gazette
Darwin Northern Territory Times
Darwin Northern Standard
