The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-11
Reported Six Mysterious Deaths at
Sea on Arrival at New York from
Mediterranean Ports.
REGARDED AS SUSPICIOUS
SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE RE-
SEMBLED ASIATIC CHOLERA.
All ON Board the Steamer to BE Sent
to Hoffman's Island for
Observation.

NEW YORK, March 1O.-Six strange
deaths at sea aboard the Anchor line steam
er Karamania, from Marseilles, Palermo
and Naples, caused that vessel to be de-
tanned at quarantine to-day and Health
officer Doty, after an examination, said
the symptoms were so similar to those of
cholera that the ship would be thoroughly
disnfected and its 733 passengers and the
crew sent to Hoffman's island to remain
there until the health officers positively
know they are free from infection. The
bodies were buried at sea and the meager
report of the ships doctor increased DR..
Doty's suspicious. Each of the six victims
died in commissions following an attack Of
nausea and cramps.
Health officer Doty, after securing all the
history of the deaths on board, gave out
the following statement: From the
meager report of the steamers doctor I
regard these cases as very suspicious. We
have no cases to examine and as the bodies
were buried at sea all the evidence obtain
able was the doctors notes and statement
giving the history of the cases. All the
symptoms-nausea, cramps and sudden col
lapse and death-are so similar to those of
cholera that propose to treat the vessel,
crew and passengers IL it were certain.
The vessel will be thoroughly disnfected.
the passengers-733 in number-transferred
the vessel is locked, will also be taken
to Hoffman's island These people will be
detained there until am positive they are
free from infection. This course is pursued
because of the suspicious character of the
deaths and the absence of evidence of the
cause. No person on board the karamania
appears to be able to account for the out
break"
This is the Karamania's second exper-
fence Of the kind On Aug. 8, 1898, she ar
rived of quarantine from Naples and re-
Jenkins, then health officer, reported that
the deaths had been due to cholera.
When the Karamania arrived to-day it
was stated that two OF the crew and four
Storage passengers had died at sea- All
were taken with the symptoms
cramps, nausea and collapse. 1t was
thought they were poisoned with some
noxious gases emanating from the cargo.
On Feb Is, while the karamania was
steaming from Marseilles for Palermo, four
of the crew were suddenly taken Ill with
nausea and spaSms. Two died, one recov-
cred and the other was sent ashore at
Palermo to the hospital, where the doctor
said the men were poisoned. Two days after
sailing from Naples another sailor, who
slept in the room where the others were
taken ILL., was found in a stupor. When dis
covered he said he had suffered some from
nausea number of others i'm the same
room feeling i'll, ran on deck and soon re-
covered. The compartment then
stripped, disinfected and closed. Feb. II a
passenger was sent to the hospital suffer
ing from stomach trouble and March
two other passengers were stricken sud-
denly and died within a few hours. The
next day, March 2, the passenger in the
hospital died, and another passenger was
found dead in his bunk. All the dead pas
sengers had occupied adjoining hunks in
No. 1 steerage. They were buried at sea.