Story: The voyage out

Quarantine

Quarantine

Infectious diseases like measles, typhoid and scarlet fever were common in the days of sailing ships. To prevent them spreading in New Zealand, vessels carrying people who had such diseases were put in quarantine. Passengers were confined in quarantine depots until the danger of infection had passed. At a shipboard concert on the Gothic in 1901, the prospect of being put in quarantine on Somes Island (in Wellington Harbour) was the subject of a play.

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-A-SHIP-1901-02

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'The voyage out - Sickness at sea', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/2591/quarantine (accessed 19 April 2024)

Story by John Wilson, published 8 Feb 2005