TALE OF A CITY 50 Sharjah is an Aircraft Station situated Long. 55, lat. 25 on the Pirate Coast of Oman on the Southern or Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf approximately 600 miles direct from Basrah and midway between Bahrein and Muscat. It is also an intermediate Station between Basrah and Karachi. The Aircraft Station has a rest house and is a refuelling station. Some 750 cases of Smallpox have occurred in the following six small towns in the area during the past few weeks, namely Ras al Kaimah 30 cases, 40 deaths, Um al Qawain 80 cases, 4 deaths, Heera 30 cases and 2 deaths, Ajman 15 cases and 7 deaths, Sharjah l00 cases and l8 deaths, Dubai 500 cases and 60 deaths. Our information was first obtained from the Principal Medical Officer, Iraq Command, R.A.F., Baghdad who telephoned me on 30th December that an outbreak of this disease was reported at Sharjah. I communicated at once with the imperial Airways Company at Baghdad and by arrangement with them the Principal Medical Officer R.A.F. kindly sent a medical officer by aeroplane fromBaghdad to Sharjah. I notified the aerodromes at Basrah and Baghdad. The Imperil Airways Company on 3rd January report that all the Staff of the Aircraft Station and rest house at Sharjah including the native labour and the guards have been vaccinated.No cases have occurred in the Station itself. Vaccine was obtained fromKarachi and 600 persons in Sharjah were vaccinated by the Aerodrome Staff andmore vaccine has been sent to continue the vaccination. The British political officer at Bahrain has sent a vaccinator from Bahrein to vaccinate the other villages. Sharjah is informed that log books of Aircraft must be endorsed that Sharjah Area is infected with Smallpox and that passengers and crews who stopped at Sharjah will be under Surveillance only. Karachi, Palestine and Alexandria informed as follows by wire:- Smallpox Outbreak at local area of Sharjah Aircraft Station Persian Gulf stop Station free stop vaccination done stop Consider Surveillance of air passengers and crews who stop there necessary only. Copy to:- The Principal Medical Officer, Iraq Command, Baghdad.
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