FEVER-STRICKEN BARQUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10018, 3 January 1896, Page 5

FEVER-STRICKEN BARQUE.

[M TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] Nelson, Wednesday. This morning a barque camo down the bay flying a signal for medical assistance. The pilot went off with tho health officer (Dr. Leggatt), and found the vessel to bo i barque of 800 or 900 tons burthen, the Lothair, an English vessel sailing under the Italian flag, bound from Hongkong to Callao. Pour of the crew and one passenger, a Chinese woman, died, and were buried at sea. Two passengers and one of the crew were still ill. Dr. Leggatt pronounced the complaint to be Hongkong fever, a species of denguo or dandy fevor prevalent before the influenza epidemic in Europe. The vessel was placed under quarantine restrictions, and the Marine Department communicated with. She loft Hongkong with a clean bill of health on the 15th October. A Chinese woman, who was ailing when she came aboard, died on the 21st November, and one of the crew shortly after. On tho 21st December three sailors, who were taken ill in the Straits of Sundi, died on the ono day, causing great alarm. The captain then made for assistance. All on board are foreigners, and considerable difficulty was experienced in gaining information. Or. Leggatt is the only person who has been on board. The reason of the vessel being so far out of her course was not ascertained.