1946::A Smallpox Outbreak on the Pacific Coast

Carried home from war—and contained in fifteen weeks.

"1946::Smallpox Arrives on the Pacific Coast" Newspaper clipping: Official U.S. Navy Photo (Public Domain)

The Honolulu Advertiser (1946)

On February 5, 1946, two American Navy ships—the USS Hermitage and USS Haskell—arrived in Seattle, Washington, carrying thousands of soldiers home from across the Pacific. During the voyage, three men had fallen seriously ill, and the ship’s medics suspected smallpox. To protect the others on board, the captain ordered a detour to Pearl Harbour, where enough vaccine was obtained to inoculate all 6,800 passengers and crew before continuing to Seattle. Upon arrival, routine inspection revealed the three cases, and the ships were immediately placed under quarantine. Two of the men proved to have nothing more than a severe fever, but the third remained a serious concern. Even so, the captain’s earlier decision satisfied health authorities, and after twenty hours of quarantine, the troops were cleared to disembark. It was a decision they would soon regret.

"1946::The Smallpox Outbreak Begins" Newspaper clipping: The Seattle Star (1946) Seattle, Washington

The infected soldier was taken to the military hospital at Fort Lawton, where patients and staff had rushed to be vaccinated before his arrival. By sheer bad luck, however, a female patient transferring to a civilian hospital unknowingly crossed paths with him as she was leaving. She died of smallpox just weeks later, and the disease spread into the civilian hospital, forcing it into quarantine. Measures were taken to contain the outbreak, but it was too late, and cases soon began appearing in clusters across Seattle.

"1946::Seattle Residents Line Up for Vaccination"

Newspaper clipping: Spokane Chronicle (1946)

Spokane, Washington — AP Photo

By the end of March, the outbreak had spread rapidly, and a state of emergency was declared. Thousands lined up at Seattle’s health clinics for vaccination, but supplies were quickly exhausted, and many were turned away. The State of Washington soon began seeking additional vaccine supplies from outside the region.

"1946::State of Emergency Declared"

Newspaper clipping: The Bellingham Herald (1946)  Bellingham, Washington— AP Photo

The State of Oregon responded to Seattle’s request for assistance by sending its own emergency supply of vaccine. But when smallpox cases began to appear in Portland and neighbouring communities, Oregon began its own vaccination efforts. Within weeks, emergency measures had spread along the Pacific Coast, as authorities from California to British Columbia worked to contain the outbreak.

"1946::Victorians Line Up at Pandora Avenue Health Centre"

Newspaper clipping: Times Colonist (1946) Victoria, British Columbia

As the smallpox outbreak escalated just south of the border, British Columbia’s provincial health authorities learned that passenger ferries and commercial shipments at international ports had continued normal operations, putting citizens at risk of exposure. The province immediately issued a quarantine order on all vessels arriving by air or sea and urged British Columbians to be vaccinated. Officials also worked with the State of Washington to close the border to the unvaccinated and those without proof of vaccination. However, the policy quickly exposed a problem: only 250,000 doses of vaccine had been ordered for distribution—far short of what was needed. Lines at the Pandora Avenue Health Clinic in Victoria and other clinics across the province quickly exceeded supply, and thousands were turned away unvaccinated.

"1946::Fifteen Weeks Later"

Newspaper clipping: Times Colonist (1946) Victoria, British Columbia — AP Photo

By June, after fifteen weeks, the smallpox epidemic of 1946 had ended. In the final review of the outbreak, it was estimated that nearly a million citizens along the Pacific Coast had been vaccinated. A total of 68 cases were recorded, including 20 deaths, while many of the survivors were left with lasting scars. It had been contained—but not without cost.

"1946::Opposition to Vaccination"

Newspaper clipping: Victoria Daily Times (1946)

Victoria, British Columbia

Amid the outbreak, opposition to vaccination also surfaced. The Anti-Vivisection Society—formed in Victoria in 1921 in response to reports of experimental cruelty following the First World War—argued that vaccination was no longer necessary in a modern society. Despite these objections, public health authorities continued to promote vaccination as the most effective means of controlling the outbreak. Within weeks, case numbers began to decline, and the spread of smallpox was brought under control.

Story Timeframe: c. 1946

Sources are credited where known. Historical materials are reproduced for research, commentary, and education, with digitized materials sourced from archival collections including Newspapers.com, the British Newspaper Archive, the British Colonist (University of Victoria) and other digital repositories, including wire service images such as the Associated Press, credited where known. Images have been cropped and enhanced for clarity where necessary.

Beyond the story — Conductor’s Notes →