Report of the Commissioner of Health, Kingston, Jamaica / [James Scott].

  • Scott, James.
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioner of Health, Kingston, Jamaica / [James Scott]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    month of February until July, 9 having been admitted therein, of which 3 died, from which time the City lias been entirely free from Small-pox. 6. There were not more than 10 cases of Small-pox reported in the City between the months of January and July, in addition to those that were sent to the Small-pox Hospital. I am not ac- quainted with the history of those 10 cases, but it is necessary I should state that, of the latter, 6 had just come from other parishes where the disease was prevailing, and that it was not taken tln'ough any infection communicated in Kingston. There were evidently during the year no conditions, atmospheric or otherwise, favourable to the developement of Small-pox in the City. The cases referred to were in reality imported, and but for diminished susceptibility among the inhabitants, there might have been no further propagation and spread of tlie disease. 7. As far as I have been ahle to ascertain, the number of interments was 5, and these took place in the Church of Eng- land Bui-ial Ground. 8. It is not possible to determine if persons residing in an infected District, and who are appai ently in liealth, are at any time under the iuHueuce of iutcctiou, caused by any prevailing disease of a contagious and infectious character, and therefore it becomes a matter of extreme difficulty to decide, at such periods, who may or may not with safety leave such a Disti'ict and visit another where a similar contagious and infectious disease has not yet appeared. 9. The danger of such intercourse was clearly exemplified on two occasions last year at Port Royal, and has also been shewn in Kingston during tlie present yeai-, wlien SuiaIl-po\ appeared at the one place and rea[)pcare(l at the other, at ])eriods when they were regarded as thoroughly uninfected Districts. At un- expected moments, its presence was reported, through the im- migration from localities, wlicre the disease prevailed, of persons in whose constitutions the seeds of infection had been sown, only awaiting the period of incubation for its developement. The disease was so introduced into Port Royal from Kingston and St. Catherine, and into this City from the parishes of St. Andrew, Portland, St. Dorothy, St. Catherine and Manchester. 10. Grrsat as is this evil, I see no mode by which it might be prevented, in so far as direct and ready intercommunication or free intercourse by land is concerned, but, in my last Report, I observed that with regard to coasting vessels, in consequence of what occurred more particularly at Montego Bay, Lucea, and Hope Bay, and I have reason to believe at other ports, it might