SANITARY CONVENTION—DECEMBER 3, 1903
377
If it is impossible to disinfect the part or compartment of the vessel which has been occupied by the persons stricken with plague or cholera without landing the persons declared as suspects, these persons shall be either placed in another vessel specially designated for this purpose or landed and lodged in the sanitary establishment without coming in contact with the patients, who should be placed in the hospital.
The duration of this stay on the vessel or on shore for disinfection shall be as short as possible and shall not exceed twenty-four hours.
The suspects shall undergo, either on their vessel or on the vessel designated for this purpose, an observation period whose duration shall vary according to the cases and under the conditions provided in the third paragraph of subdivision a).
The time taken up by the prescribed operations shall be comprised in the duration of the observation period.
The passage through in quarantine may be allowed before the expiration of the periods indicated above if the health authority deems it possible. It shall at all events be granted when the disinfection has been completed, if the vessel leaves behind not only its patients but also the persons indicated above as "suspects."
A disinfecting chamber placed on a lighter may come alongside the vessel in order to expedite the disinfecting operations.
Infected vessels requesting pratique in Egypt shall be detained at Moses Spring five days; they shall, moreover, undergo the same measures as those adopted for infected vessels arriving in Europe.
B. Measures with respect to ordinary vessels hailing from the infected ports of Hedjaz during the pilgrimage season
Art. 55. If plague or cholera prevails in Hedjaz during the time of the Mecca pilgrimage, vessels coming from Hedjaz or from any other part of the Arabian coast of the Red Sea without having embarked there any pilgrims or similar masses of persons, and which have not had any suspicious occurrence on board during the voyage, shall be placed in the category of ordinary suspected vessels. They shall be subjected to the preventive measures and to the treatment imposed on such vessels.
If they are bound for Egypt they shall undergo, in a sanitary establishment designated by the Sanitary, Maritime, and Quarantine Board, an observation of five days from the date of departure, for cholera as well as for plague. They shall be subjected, moreover, to all the measures prescribed for suspected vessels (disinfection, etc.), and shall not be granted pratique until they have passed a favorable medical examination.
It shall be understood that if the vessels have had suspicious occurrences during the voyage, they shall pass the observation period at Moses Spring, which shall last five days whether it be a question of plague or cholera.