G— No. 8

34

REPORT OE COMMISSIONERS UPON MATTERS

came aft, in order to confirm to Dr. Bulmer the letters they had written and signed regarding me. Captain Harrington put questions to them through the interpreter. The single man referred to in my report to tho Board of Health as being at that time suffering from malignant measles, was named Hilton. He had it very lightly, and was only in bed a couple of days. When I made my report the case was in a state of desquamation, and the man was going about. I thought he would be fit to mix with the public in a week. Miss Tee fell sick on sth February. Her case was also malignant measles, and was in the desquamating stage at the time I wrote my report. As compared with Hilton's case, Miss Tee's case was equally infectious at the time of our arrival. She was going about on deck then. I did not mention Miss Tee's case in my report, because she was not under my care ; the captain attended her himself. I think I was not bound to report Miss Tee's case. I did not make the omission intentionally. I had no communication with the captain respecting Miss Tee, excepting friendly inquiries after her health. I frequently offered my services to attend her, which were declined. My official report to the Health Officer was intended to set forth the actual state of health on board the ship, excepting no persons. Alexander Johnston, being duly sworn, saith as follows :—- lam a legally qualified medical practitioner. lam Provincial Surgeon and a member of the Board of Health. I have been in practice twenty-one years. I have been through epidemics of small-pox; one at Guy's Hospital, London, and the other in Gloucestershire. The first of these occurred about twenty years ago. I have seen cases of small-pox since that —on the occasion of the " Kaikora " being placed in quarantine in Wellington about four years ago. I have seen measles constantly up to the present date. It is endemic here ; but it is not so malignant as I have seen it at home. There is a hybrid form of disease called " rothhelm," which is a co-existent form of scarlatina and measles. I have never seen this disease, but am aware of its characteristics. It has only been distinguished within the last six years, as far as I know. I have only noticed it in medical journals within that period. I have seen the person named Spring, who came out in the ship " England " her last voyage. I have also seen Miss Tee, who came out in the same ship. They were convalescent when I saw them. I consider they had been suffering from small-pox. The eruption was in the desquamating stage, and I have no doubt that the disease was small-pox. I have never seen such scabs or markings in the face as were apparent in these cases from measles. The pockmarks or pittings occur after no other disease but small-pox. I have seen a few markings after chicken-pox ; but during convalescence, the markings can easily be distinguished from small-pox. From what I know of the disease called " rothhelm," Ido not consider that the cases above referred to could have been that disease. Small-pox is a pustular disease. A pustule can be distinguished from a rash, so as to be easily recognized and described by a non-professional observer. I was present at the examination of Dr. Leigh on the 24th April before this Commission,and heard him detail the symptoms of the case of Mariaolson,an emigrant by the "England." I would have no hesitation in describing the disease from which she suffered to be small-pox. Although no pustules are mentioned, the other characters are sufficient to form an opinion. There is no other character absent in the description of this case except that pustules are wanting. Still I believe that pustules must have been there ; and if a non-professional observer stated that pustules were there, then I think he must have been right. The period of incubation of small-pox before the eruption comes out is fifteen days. It is never shorter than that. I have never experienced it lasting for twenty-two days, nor have I ever read of its doing so. If I saw a case of small-pox with the eruption appearing after being twenty-two days at sea, I should say there must have been a previous case on board; but the infection could be carried for a much longer period in clothing that had not been fumigated. On Sunday, the 10th March, I went down to Somes Island, where the " England " was lying, and then for the first time learnt there was small-pox on board. On the previous day I went to meet the ship in the Harbour-master's boat, and got within easy speaking distance. Captain Halliday asked Captain Harrington if they were all well on board, and he replied they had had a great deal of sickness, but that they were all convalescent at that time, except an infant; that they had been suffering from measles, and had had sixteen deaths. I asked for the doctor, and the captain said he was not well. I went on the following day. I went to the ship to get a report from the doctor, and told the captain I would come for that purpose. When I got to the ship I saw two or three people at the side. I was within about twenty feet of the side. These people looked bloated and puffy in the face, as if they had had some severe illness. The doctor then came forward and brought a short report. He said, We have had the measles very badly, but I have made a condensed report; which he handed to me (now produced, marked J). As soon as I read the report, I judged that the people on board had had small-pox. It was from the symptoms mentioned on the second page of that report that I judged the disease to be small-pox. I announced my opinion to the captain, and read the extract referred to. The captain expressed great surprise, seemed rather excited, and challenged the doctor (who was present) to produce any entry in his books where he had called it anything else but measles. In my opinion, when people are walking about on a ship pitted with pockmarks, as were some of those on board the " England " that I have seen, as Spring was for instance, the most casual observation must have recognized it as small-pox. I have no reason to believe that Captain Harrington reported the disease on board to be measles when he knew it to be small-pox, excepting the opinion I have given before. On the Sunday Captain Halliday made me acquainted with the fact that Miss Tee was on board, and that she was very ill. Captain Harrington brought a man to the ship's side who was badly marked with small-pox. He said that whatever the disease is, this has been a very bad case. He meant the man he brought to the ship's side. The captain informed me on the Sunday, that the doctor had been off duty a great deal on account of ill health, and that he had no complaint to make against him. In cases of small-pox the period of incubation, according to my experience, is twelve days. The rigors have no constant period of occurrence, nor any constant intensity. The pustule in variola confiuens always pits—by which I mean, that it always carries a central depression. It becomes confluent after that stage.

By Commissioners.

By request of Captain Harrington.

By request of Dr. Leigh.