CONNECTED WITH THE SHIP "ENGLAND."

G.—No. 3.

29

Mina Bergersdatter—this was before the mother died. The doctor gave medicine to the baby. I saw my child the day it died ; the child was awake, but quiet. I saw it the day previous to its death ; it was sleeping then. I did not see it the third day before it died. Kaeen Neilsen, duly sworn saith as follows : — lam the widow of Neils Peter Larsen. I came with my husband, who is now dead, from Oesterpy, which is thirty-two miles from Copenhagen. Wo went from Copenhagen to -Kiel by steamboat; from thence to Hamburgh by rail; and from thence to London by steamer. All the Danes came that way at the same time as myself. It was cold and snowing during the voyage from Copenhagen to Kiel. We were under deck. We were comfortable from Hamburgh to London ;we were 'tween decks. We had to pay for our own food from Copenhagen to London. We had sufficient to eat. About noon we arrived in London. There were two agents who went with us from Copenhagen to London, and who took us on board the " England " immediately we arrived. The Norwegians arrived on the evening of the same day. Wo all slept in the ship the first night. All the Norwegians and Danes were on board the ship that night. None of them ever slept on shore that night, or any night before the ship sailed. I knew Claus Petersen Maii. I first saw him in Copenhagen. Ho took ill after he came on board the ship "England," —after ho had been there a few days. I cannot say if it was before the ship left the dock or after we went to sea. Our bunks were in the opposite corners of the 'tween decks. He had an eruption on his face. My husband was ill for about three weeks, and died on the 3rd March ;he also had an eruption on his face; the eruption on Claus Petersen Maii was similar to that on my husband at the beginning of his illness, I spoke to Swenson about getting the doctor to attend my husband. Ido not know whether he told the doctor ; but the doctor did not attend him until two days afterwards ; the eruption was not out when the doctor saw him first. At first the doctor came regularly. For the last two days before he died, the doctor was not there. [This witness's evidence was not taken further, as she was seized with a fit, and her examination was not continued.] Thomas Sandeeson Bulmee, being duly sworn, saith: — lam a qualified medical practitioner. I have been employed as medical officer for the Quarantine Station at Somes Island. My services were engaged on the 10th of March, and lat once entered on my duties by going on board the ship "England," which was then anchored off Somes Island; this was on the evening of the same day. On the following day I visited every part of the ship, and mustered all who were able to be about on the poop, and also visited the sick. I found the following persons sick with small-pox: —Spring, Neils Neilsen. Hans Larsen, Cullen, Mrs. McDonald, Finch, Captain Harrington, and Mrs. Harrington. In addition to the above, I was, about forty-eight hours subsequently, informed of the case of Miss Tee, by the pilot (Holmes), and saw her, and saw that her case was also small-pox. McDonald's child, fifteen months old, had measles. In addition to the above there were cases of debility, diarrhoea, and hooping-cough, of which I did not take particular note, as they were not connected with my special duty. None of the small-pox cases were in the acute stage ; Spring, Miss Tee, and Hans Larsen, had scabs still on their faces ; they were beginning to fall off. Spring and Miss Tee were the least advanced towards recovery. In addition to the above, I would add Neils Neilsen ; and these were all declared by me to be infected. This was on 11th March. It was not until Sunday, the 17th, I was able to separate the infected from the other. During the interval I remained on board ship, and on that date I myself went into quarantine with the infected. There has been no fresh outbreak of an infectious disease since the time I went on board. I examined every person, with the view of seeing if they had been vaccinated, with the exception of Mr. Leigh. I reported the result in general terms to the Board of Health. I also ascertained that several persons on board were freshly pock-marked, and specify two cases in particular—Spring and Miss Tee's. I was positive as to the nature of the disease in the case of Spring and Miss Tee, and that it was small-pox. I think these two cases were the most malignant I had ever seen ; that is, that it had been confluent small-pox. I have had special experience of small-pox. In 1854 I attended cases of small-pox in Detroit Hospital during an epidemic. In 1864, at Chicago, also, when there was an epidemic of small-pox, during which I had private practice ; and attended cases of small-pox in the hospital. From 1865 to 1867, in Montreal, I was connected with small-pox wards in the hospital there, and treated cases. In 1869 I was in private practice in London, and saw small-pox cases in hospital and private practice. I attended the Mile-end Eoad Branch of the Small-pox Hospital. I have been on board emigrant ships as medical officer. I made a special examination of the accommodation for the emigrants on board the "England." I did so the second day I went on board, and subsequently. Tho rough sketch marked B is a generally correct plan of the accommodation, except that the water tank should be shown running right across the main hatch, so that you could not get up the main hatch without climbing up on top of the water tank. I found the 'tween decks in fair order —as a ship would be after a sea voyage. There was an unusual smell, which I called the " small-pox smell." There is such a smell recognized amongst medical men, which is a sure indication of the presence of the disease. With respect to the fittings, I think they were put up in the usual manner. The ventilation was insufficient. I think it was not as sufficient as might have been effected at that time to improve the ventilation. I should have cut a hole through the deck and fixed a funnel or an updraught pipe, i saw what I refer to had been done to ventilate the single girls' place. I have no special knowledge of shipbuilding, but I think it could be done. I saw the hospitals provided on board. I did not consider they were properly placed, or sufficient in the case of a ship with an epidemic on board, although they would answer for a ship with the ordinary amount of sickness. Cullen, Neils Neilsen, and Hans Larsen, all showed the marks of small-pox. On the 12th or 13th of March, I forwarded my report on the subject of vaccination. I think it was on Tuesday I examined the men for the vaccination marks. It was about half-past Bon Sunday evening I got on board the England. Ido not remember the captain reporting the case of the death of a child 8

I By request of i Captain HarringI ton.